F Major 7 fingering--wha??

CTurner

CTurner

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
1,015
Reaction score
11
Location
Burbank, CA
The F Major 7 chord is used in "Night and Day" in Herb Ohta's Sophisticated Ukulele. What a bear! I'm working on a concert, but that fourth string (supposed to be the pinky) at the fourth fret just seems weirdly impossible; I end up locking my ring finger since rounding it only keeps the pinky further away.
I looked up a variant, which is 7-5-5-5 and it sounds okay, but a little weird, I think.
Can anybody advise?

Thanks!
Craig
 
I think you meant to say 5557, but wrote 7555. There isn't any easier fingering I could offer for an Fmaj7.
 
try 5500
That should be an Fmaj7
 
As Aldrine said, 5500 works. Try it out.
 
9988 should work too, if you want to be higher up the fretboard
 
5500 is a great alternative. I use it a lot, but sometimes it sounds slighly better strummed upwards instead of downwards.

A simple "cheat" version of FMaj7 is 2003. That sometimes works well enough. (But if you tell anyone you got it from me, I'll deny it!)

Ukantor.
 
ukantor said:
A simple "cheat" version of FMaj7 is 2003. That sometimes works well enough. (But if you tell anyone you got it from me, I'll deny it!)
Click to expand...

True, or 2000. Both of these are basically fmaj7 without the F, so I find they work esp. well if you're singing F in the melody.
 
FMaj7

Sorry, got the numbering reversed.

5500—yeah, it sounds very good!:shaka:

Thanks to everyone.

Craig
 
Another real good one is to use Am7 either 0000 or 2433 in place of FMaj7.

This can be thought of as rootless Fmaj9 which is a very closely related chord and functionally identical to Fmaj7. It will work particularly well if you are playing with a bass player but it works OK solo too.
 
That's really interesting, Dibblet. I've just tried substituting Am7 for FMaj7 in a couple of my favourite songs. It doesn't sound wrong, but it lacks flavour - a bit like scrambled egg with no salt & pepper. I love the slightly jangly, jazzy sound of the Major 7ths. They are my favourite chords.

Ukantor.
 
i use
2413
 
Got it! 2503 is slightly easier to play but sounds EXACTLY the same, as it has the same notes in the chord. Hope it helps!
 
when there is standing: 5500 does that mean that i have to but the fingers on G(5thfret) C(5thfret) or what?
 
Yup, 2503 works, but 5500 is much easier for the same notes.

Church - when describing a chord by numbers, they refer to the fret on each string, starting nearest to your face. So Amin 2000 (ACEA) and C 0003 (GCEC).

If you play southpaw, or hold the uke behind your back, or play with your toes, you will have to sort it out yourself:rolleyes:

Ukantor
 
This is getting picky, but I would argue that (at least on my uke anyway) the 2503 fingering rings out a lot more nicely than the 5500 fingering, something to do the with the C note being the last note played in the 2503 chord, which really rings out well. But if you prefer 5500, by all means use it.
Rob :)
 
Sorry Rclifford, didn't mean to disparage your suggestion. I couldn't agree more. If it works for you, and you prefer the sound, that's the one to use. My left hand is slightly - erm - "non standard", (Dupuytren's Contracture, I think it's called), so there are some chord shapes I simply cannot do. I always have to go for the easiest.

Peace Brother,

Ukantor.
 
Last edited:
FWIW, it occurred to me that (10)000--that is, 10th fret, fourth string, leave everything else open--is probably the easiest way to play an Fmaj7.

Hey, I didn't say it would sound good... just that it was easy! :D

JJ
 
ukantor said:
That's really interesting, Dibblet. I've just tried substituting Am7 for FMaj7 in a couple of my favourite songs. It doesn't sound wrong, but it lacks flavour - a bit like scrambled egg with no salt & pepper. I love the slightly jangly, jazzy sound of the Major 7ths. They are my favourite chords.

Ukantor.
Click to expand...


Yeah, the "janglyness" is caused by the semitome clash (or major 7th depending on voicing) between the E and the F. You'll get it back if someone plays the F on bass (or piano or guitar or anything else that has low notes)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
B flat major fingering
2
Replies
20
Views
2K
UkeStuff
UkeStuff
R
Low G Major Scale fingering
Replies
8
Views
1K
raduray
R
kefaragon
What are the major ukulele events?
2
Replies
20
Views
590
BigJackBrass
BigJackBrass
J
Help with first major purchase (500-800$, Tenor, low G)
2 3
Replies
43
Views
2K
roastbeast
roastbeast
Jim Hanks
Backing Tracks: Key of B (Major or minor): "Dreamtime Wanderer"
Replies
2
Views
187
Jim Hanks
Jim Hanks
Top Bottom