Yo I play the guitar and take lessons privately. I'm having trouble playing the F Major chord. (It's the version with the 1st finger across the 6 strings, not the 1 with the 1st finger across the last 2 strings)
For some reason, even tho I've been practicing for 3 weeks now I just cannot play the 5th string. Some help? Yea I know I gotta practice but any advice 4 a beginner like me?
For 52 years I have used my thumb to catch the barre chords when the sixth and the fifth strings are crucial. This practice allows me to focus on forming the remainder of the chord while the flexibility of finger movement is not hampered.
I got the idea from watching Merle Travis and Chet Atkins in their hey-days. If using the thumb was good enough for those two guitar geniuses it would be good enough for me–regardless of the rules made by classical and folk guitar instructors.
Using the thumb to catch such chords as major and minor sixths, ninths, and even minors is a great help.