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<u>'''Barre chords</u> ''' are formed by flattening the index finger and using the entire finger to fret all or most of the strings. They are akin to moving the nut (or a capo) up the fretboard. Your other 3 fingers are able to form whatever shape is necessary to make virtually any chord desired. Barre chords are covered in depth in a [[Barre Chords|later lesson]].
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{{Beginner Lesson Crumbs|14}}
The <u>'''F major chord</u> ''' consists of the F, A, and C notes. It is the '''IV chord ''' in the key of C Major.
== PreReqs ==
=== First Barre Chord ===
This F chord contains a standard root-fifth-octave power chord in the bass, which gives it a stronger rock feel.
|F Major Chord#Harmonic Theory: Sub-Dominant Chord|Theory: Sub-Dominant}}
F is the 4th note of the C Major scale. The F Major chord is thus called the <u>'''IV chord</u> ''' (that's the roman numeral four, not the letters 'i' and 'v'). Its notes are the perfect 4th, major 6th, and octave (tonic) above the tonic note of the key.
C F A C - Notes
|---P5----| /
The transition from a I chord to a IV chord involves moving the 3rd of the I chord (E) up a half step to become the root of the IV chord (F) and the 5th of the I (G) up a whole step to become the 3rd of the IV (A). This is a <u>parallel stepwise motion</u> for a minor third interval to a major third interval. ''That means each note moves one note in the scale in the same direction.'' For example, in the key of C Major, the E and G of the I chord are a minor third. They ascend to F and A, a major third. The root of the I chord is the 5th of the IV chord, requiring no change.
The transition from IV to I is just the reverse. Stepwise motion along a scale is natural progression, in either direction. The main tension is resolving the leading tone; however, neither the I nor IV chords have the leading tone. Overall, moving from the I to IV chord creates tension, simply because we are moving away from the tonic chord. Similarly, the IV - I progression tends to reduce tension. However, the IV chord is not as tense as the V chord, and the IV - I resolution is not as strong as V - I.
All of the notes of the IV chord are 1 step away from the notes of the V chord. This makes the IV chord a natural choice to progress into the V chord, giving it a <u>'''pre-dominant function</u> ''' in terms of harmony. Tension increases from the I to the IV, then further from the IV to the V.
C F/C C