F, Am, Dm & E7 Chords
Ready for the next step? This lesson introduces your first minor chords (Am, Dm), a tension chord (E7), and the infamous F major chord. These four shapes unlock countless new songs.
Ready for the next step? This lesson introduces your first minor chords (Am, Dm), a tension chord (E7), and the infamous F major chord. These four shapes unlock countless new songs.
F, Am, Dm, and E7 form one of the most important chord families in all of Western music. Together they give you the I, VI, IV, and V7 chords in the key of F major, and they also appear constantly in the key of A minor. Songs built from these chords have a rich, slightly melancholic yet resolved sound that you will recognise in everything from Spanish guitar music to classical compositions to modern pop.
More practically, learning these four chords dramatically expands your repertoire. Many songs that use G, C, and D in one key use Am, Dm, and E7 (or F) in another. Understanding how these chords relate to each other gives you the framework to transpose songs and understand why certain chord combinations sound so satisfying together.
Bright, open, happy sound. Written with just the letter: C, F, G. Most pop and folk songs use mostly major chords.
Darker, sadder, more emotional sound. Written with a small m: Am, Dm, Em. Mixed with major chords to add depth and feeling.
F major is the chord that most beginners dread, and for good reason: the standard open-position F chord requires a partial barre (pressing two strings at the 1st fret with the index finger) combined with three other fingers stacked on the higher strings. Many students spend weeks struggling with this chord before it suddenly clicks into place.
The key to F major is positioning your index finger so it lies flat across the 1st and 2nd strings at the 1st fret, while your other three fingers form an Am-like shape on the higher strings. Keep your index finger as straight as possible and position it just behind the 1st fret. Apply pressure evenly along the entire length of the finger. Check each string individually: the B string (2nd string) at the 1st fret is the most commonly muted note, so pay extra attention to it.
A useful beginner shortcut is the "mini F" or F major 7 shape, which only uses two fingers: index on the 1st fret of the B string and middle finger on the 2nd fret of the G string. This version does not include the full F chord but sounds close enough for many songs and builds toward the full shape gradually.
The biggest hurdle in the F chord is getting the high E and B strings to ring out clearly beneath your 1st finger. If you bend your 1st finger like you do for other chords, the crease of your knuckle will often mute one of the strings.
Pro Tip: Roll your 1st finger slightly on its side, so the bony edge (pointing towards your thumb) presses the strings, rather than the flat fleshy pad. The bone provides a harder, flatter surface that holds down two strings much easier.
Here are all three new chords side by side. Study the diagrams, then try forming each one before reading the notes below.
Am is one of the most natural chord shapes on the guitar. Place your first finger on the 1st fret of the B string, second finger on the 2nd fret of the D string, and third finger on the 2nd fret of the G string. Strum from the A string downward (do not play the low E string). Am has a distinctly melancholic, reflective quality that makes it one of the most expressive chords available to a beginner.
Dm is another minor chord with a dark, emotional quality. Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the high e string, your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the B string, and your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the G string. Strum only the top four strings (D, G, B, e). Notice how similar Dm is in shape to an F chord rotated slightly, many players find this visual relationship helpful for memorising both chords.
E7 is almost identical to the regular E major chord but with one finger removed. For E major, you use three fingers. For E7, you remove whichever finger sits on the G string, leaving it open. This creates the characteristic "seventh" sound: a note that creates tension and pulls the music forward toward resolution. E7 is the V7 chord in the key of A minor, which means playing Am, Dm, E7, Am feels like a complete musical journey with a satisfying return home.
If F major is not working yet, practise just the index finger barre by itself for two minutes before each session. Press your index finger across the top two strings at the 1st fret and pluck each one individually. Work on getting both strings to ring clearly before adding the other fingers. Most guitarists find that the barre itself is the bottleneck, and once it works cleanly, the full F chord follows quickly.
Am and E7 are very closely related - E7 is essentially Am with the 3rd finger lifted off. When you can play Am, you can play E7 immediately. The 1st and 2nd fingers shift one string each toward the thicker strings:
When you can play all six chords smoothly - C, F, G7, Am, Dm, E7 - you can play the chord backing for hundreds of songs. Try these sequences: C / F / | C / G7 / | G7 / C / and with minors: C / Am / | Dm / G7 / | C / Dm / | G7 / C /
Because Am, Dm, and E7 belong to the same musical family (the key of A Minor), they sound incredible when played in a loop. Try this simple sequence to practice switching between them:
This classic "I-IV-I-V" progression is the backbone of thousands of blues, folk, and classical songs. Notice how the E7 chord sounds tense and unresolved, making your ear desperately want to hear the Am chord again at the start of the loop!
Common questions about these four chords
The F chord requires your index finger to press down multiple strings at once (a barre) very close to the nut, where the string tension is highest. It takes time to build the necessary hand strength!
Yes! You can play a 'mini F' by only pressing the top 4 strings (D, G, B, e) and using your index finger to only hold down the B and e strings at the first fret.