How do you play this chord?

ghostrdr

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It’s the last chord in Daniel Ho’s Ho’okahi song.

Help...
 
Well, the tab is for low-G uke. It's an F major 7 chord with the notes A-E-F-C, 2nd fret on the 4th string, 4th fret on the 3rd string, 1st fret on the second string and 3rd fret on the fourth string. I would use middle finger on the 4th string, pinky on the 3rd string, index finger on the 2nd string, and ring finger on the 1st string.

Or if you don't care about that particular voicing, you could play an F major 7 as 5500 - just two fingers. :)
 
That’s a toughie. I first started by trying as a barre chord and was having trouble. I kind of like in the song 7555 though it is not the same chord. Thanks Jim and sailinguke! The pictures help
 
As mentioned above, 5500 plays all the same notes - and if you strum upwards, the notes are even in the same sequence. I've been playing for more than twenty-five years, and still cannot play FMaj7 (2413). I've tried, honestly, and can now do it if I have time to arrange my fingers carefully, but not in the context of a song, where deftness and fluidity is called for.

John Colter.
 
I have to admit that I didn't read the thread with attention, but when someone asks how to play a Fmaj7 my knee jerk reaction is: 5500.
 
Hi, ghostrdr!

Fmaj7 (top left) on ukulele is same shape as Cmaj7 (bottom left) on guitar, because they have 5 steps difference. This (bottom left) shape is too difficult and we play bottom right shape on guitar. Hence Cmaj7 is much easier on guitar (bottom right) than Fmaj7 on ukulele (top left).



I would play F instead of Fmaj7 on ukulele, if it possible.
 
If you are going to play F (on ukulele) instead of FMaj7, why not play it 2013? That's dead easy, only one note different from the true FMaj7, and has a flavour of the intended chord.

John Colter.
 
If you're playing with other instruments you are a couple more options. If you have two ukes, one can play the F while the other plays an Am over their F. Of if you have a piano / bass player covering the tonic note (F) you can simply play an Am. That said, neither of these options will give the spacing recommended in the song.
 
I'm participating this thread in a somewhat theoretical basis if to add any. Not concerning some particular song or piece.
Some major 7ths can be hard, though there are are alternatives for Fmaj7, but anyways Am has the top notes of it and or also just play F as has been suggested.

When with Dm7, though easy one can always play F. And Em7 can be played with G though easy as it is too. Most notable example we have is "hawaiian D7" that is actually F#dim with no D that many play in the key of G.

Substituting the other way like Dm(7) for F works only sometimes, but it is good to know :)
 
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Bill has described this very well, and also put things into the right context. The final 2 bars are played using the same Fmaj7 shape as tabbed, as you are already holding the chord shape that you are referring to, there is no need to change the fingering :D

Thank you so far from everyone. It is a troublesome chord shape. While true the final 2 bars benefit from just holding the shape, it takes a great deal of effort and precision to transition to that shape so the notes are clean and can be played with an arpeggio.

I’ve had a little success with angling my hand toward the pinky side, but it is taking some time. I guess, just practice, practice, practice...
 
There is another tricky chord shape earlier in this song, it's 2258 (Dm) any suggestions about fingerings? :D

I’ve been working on that one. The easiest suggestion is move from a tenor scale to a concert. Absent that.

After that, bar the entire second fret with your index finger, hit the 5th fret with your ring finger and pinky in the 8th fret. I also find it helpful to not have your thumb in the middle of the neck, but closer to the treble side of the neck.

Rich
 
I’ve been working on that one. The easiest suggestion is move from a tenor scale to a concert. Absent that.

After that, bar the entire second fret with your index finger, hit the 5th fret with your ring finger and pinky in the 8th fret. I also find it helpful to not have your thumb in the middle of the neck, but closer to the treble side of the neck.

Rich

Hi, hhostrdr! It is difficult for me even on concert (see the photo below). I need soprano.

 
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You make it look so eazzy! Thanks for posting :D

Hi, prb035!

A friend of mine visited my house today. He is very good guitar player much better than me. He plays latest finger picking solos and often teach me. He played 2258 on 7th and 9th capo. He could not . He said it is impossible even with capo 9 on guitar. It is very hard, isn't it. :))
 
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