Learn › F Major Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
New Released in April 2026
F Major Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
Learn the F triad inversions on guitar and you can play F major in any area of the neck with three fingers: F, A and C, rearranged.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
Three orders of the same three notes
Root position puts F at the bottom, 1st inversion puts A at the bottom, 2nd inversion puts C at the bottom. It is still F; what changes is the lowest and the highest note you hear.
Bright and stable: the triad most songs are built on.
Connecting the inversions
Climbing the G-B-e strings: 1st inversion (fret 2) → 2nd inversion (fret 6) → root position (fret 10). Listen to the top note, F, A, C: it is a little melody inside one chord.
One area of the neck, near fret 8, already holds four F shapes: G-B-e strings 5-6-5; D-G-B strings 7-5-6; A-D-G strings 8-7-5; E-A-D strings 8-8-7.
Where F sits on the neck
Start with the top three strings: the shapes are small and the top note is clear. Then move the same idea to the lower sets.
G-B-e strings
1st inversion
2nd inversion
Root position
D-G-B strings
Root position
1st inversion
2nd inversion
A-D-G strings
2nd inversion
Root position
1st inversion
E-A-D strings
1st inversion
2nd inversion
Root position
Make F triads automatic
- Start with the G-B-e strings only: three shapes, one minute each.
- Climb the neck through the three shapes and come back down without stopping.
- Pick one fret area, around fret 8, and find F on every string set without moving your hand far.
- Last, switch between F and another triad in the same area of the neck.
Small daily sessions work best: shapes stick by repetition.
All F triad frets in one table
| String set | Root position | 1st inversion | 2nd inversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-B-e strings | x x x 10 10 8 | x x x 2 1 1 | x x x 5 6 5 |
| D-G-B strings | x x 3 2 1 x | x x 7 5 6 x | x x 10 10 10 x |
| A-D-G strings | x 8 7 5 x x | x 12 10 10 x x | x 3 3 2 x x |
| E-A-D strings | 13 12 10 x x x | 5 3 3 x x x | 8 8 7 x x x |
Frets from the low E string to the high E string; x = string not played.
Play F in a game
ChordRunner listens to your guitar through the microphone: a chord name appears, you play it in any shape, and the game hears if the notes are right. A MIDI keyboard works too.
Play the demoCommon questions
How do you play F triads on the top strings?
On the G, B and high E strings: 1st inversion 2-1-1; 2nd inversion 5-6-5; Root position 10-10-8. Play only those three strings.
Why learn triad inversions on guitar?
They let you play F in any area of the neck with three fingers, so chord changes stay close and the top note can follow a melody.
What does a F triad sound like?
Bright and stable: the triad most songs are built on.
Can I practise F with a game that listens to my guitar?
Yes. ChordRunner hears your guitar through the microphone and checks the chord in any shape or inversion. A USB MIDI keyboard works too.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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