Mandolin F chordF major: 2 3 3 1, and 4 more shapes
Frets, low course to high: 2 3 3 1 (open position) · F/A
- G course: 2nd fret, middle finger, A
- D course: 3rd fret, ring finger (barre), F
- A course: 3rd fret, ring finger (barre), C
- E course: 1st fret, index finger, F
Sounds: A F C F · F is F, A, C (1 · 3 · 5)
Found in: G mixolydian (♭VII), D dorian (♭III), G dorian (♭VII), D minor (♭III), G minor (♭VII), A minor (♭VI)
Open courses that ring: A is a note of F, so it can drone under it.
No 3rd: F5 (x 3 3 1) leaves the 3rd out, so it backs F major, mixolydian, dorian and minor tunes alike.
Tuning GDAE: G D A E, low to high.
The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts on the Irish bouzouki in GDAD. Choose Mandolin once in its Settings and it remembers.
More F shapes
- 5 3 0 5
open · F/C - 5 7 8 5
5fr · F/C - 10 7 0 8
7fr - 10 10 0 x
10fr
F in session keys
- G mixolydian (♭VII, a main chord): G – F – G
- G dorian (♭VII, a main chord): Gm – F – Gm
- G minor (♭VII, a main chord): Gm – F – E♭ – F
- A minor (♭VI, a main chord): Am – G – F – G
- C major (IV, a main chord): C – F – C – G (a plain backing for many reels and jigs)
- F major (I, a main chord): F – B♭ – F – C (a plain backing for many reels and jigs)
Other F chords, Mandolin GDAE
Other major chords
F in other tunings
All Mandolin GDAE chords · Printable chart (PDF) · Tuning · The app