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Face Fade in Fade out Fan-strutting Feedback F-hole Fifth Fifth fret trick Figure Fill Filtering Fine-tuners Finger board Fingering Finger numbering Finish Five-way switch Fixed Bridge Flanger Flat Flat pick Flatpicking Flatted Flat top Floating bridge Floyd Rose Floyd Rose tremolo system Floyd Rose vibrato system Footswitch Frequency Fret Fret bars Fretboard Fret hand Fret hand muting Fretless Fret markers Fret numbers Frets Fretting Fretting hand Full bend Fuzz |
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| Face | Another term for soundboard |
| Fade in | Where volume is gradually increased until desired volume is reached |
| Fade out | A gradual decrease in volume |
| Fan-strutting | Wooden supports found under the soundboard of an acoustic guitar. Referred to as fan-strutting because the struts radiate out from a central point just like a fan. |
| Feedback | A high pitch sound created by the amplification of a guitars own sound. It is the result of putting the guitar to close to the amp. |
| F-hole | A sound hole that is F-shaped. Found on semi-acoustic guitars. |
| Fifth | 1. The fifth degree of a scale |
2. The interval between the first and fifth note of a diatonic scale. This interval can be perfect (7 semitones), diminished (6 semitones) or augmented (8 semitones). Full article on Intervals |
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| Fifth fret trick | A method of relative tuning. It involves tuning the low E-string (by ear if necessary) and then using the 5th fret (A) to tune the adjacent string (the A-string). The same process is done for the rest of the strings with exception to the G-string, on which the 4th fret is held to find harmony with the b-string. Full article on Tuning your guitar |
| Figure | The naturally occurring grain pattern on the surface of wood that gives each acoustic guitar a unique character |
| Fill | A small section of music used to connect larger sections. In guitar there are rhythm fills and lead fills. |
| Filtering | The removal of unwanted elements of an electrical signal. Filtering can be used to create a cleaner sound for recording purposes or to create a specific effect. |
| Fine-tuners | Tuners found on the bridge of guitars with a locking tremolo system. The tuning is done with the machineheads as usual then the nut locks are put in place. The fine-tuners are then used to make any tiny adjustments to avoid having to remove the nut locks. |
| Fingerboard | A fingerboard is the surface on which the strings of a fretless stringed instrument are pressed against. Although, in a guitar context it can mean the same as fretboard. |
| Fingering | Another term for fretting |
| Finger numbering |
Used for the fretting hand. Each finger is assigned a number from 1-4. 1 = index finger Full article on Hand labelling |
| Finish | A thin coating of decorative material found on the surface of wooden components of a guitar |
| Five-way switch |
A pickup selector switch that has five positions and therefore five combinations of pickups that can be used. Commonly found on guitars with three single coil pickups. |
| Fixed bridge | A bridge that stays static but can move when the vibrato system is used. |
| Flanger | A guitar effect that creates a consistent wave-like space age whooshing effect, achieved by variable delay and filtering the signal. |
| Flat | A semitone lower, notated by the symbol b. |
| Flat pick | The original term for plectrum Full article on How to hold a plectrum |
| Flat picking | Playing with a flat pick |
| Flatted | Made a semitone lower |
| Flat top | An acoustic guitar where the soundboard is completely flat |
| Floating bridge | A bridge used in the Floyd Rose locking tremolo system that can move in accordance with the tension of the strings (as opposed to a static bridge). It enables an easy and accurate vibrato system but makes tuning more difficult. |
| Floyd Rose | 1. The man who invented the double locking tremolo system |
| 2. Floyd rose has also become the name of this type of vibrato system | |
| Floyd Rose tremolo system | Another term for locking tremolo system |
| Floyd Rose vibrato system | Another term for locking tremolo system |
| Footswitch | A pedal that you step on to activate electrical devices/settings. They are used with amps and effects units to enable you to operate them whilst standing up. |
| Frequency | Acoustical frequency is the number of sound vibrations per second, measured in Hertz (Hz). Frequency represents the pitch of sound, 440Hz is concert pitch. |
| Fret | 1. The space on the fretboard between each fret bar. Each numbered from the nut upward, starting on fret one. Open strings are referred to as fret 0. |
| 2. Sometimes used as another term for fret bar | |
| 3. The act of fretting | |
| Fret bars | The strips of metal found along the fingerboard. The space immediately behind the fret bar is used for fretting (not directly over the bar). Fret bars are placed at set intervals to divide the string into pitches. The frets get closer together as you ascend the fretboard; this is because every time you halve the length you raise the pitch by an octave. Fret 12 divides the string in half (raising the pitch by an octave) and fret 24 divides the string into a quarter (raising the pitch by another octave). |
| Fretboard | The long thin strip of dark hardwood (rosewood or ebony for example) on the surface of the neck, on which the fret bars are placed. Full article on Anatomy of the guitar |
| Fret hand | Another term for fretting hand Full article on Hand labelling |
| Fret hand muting | Using the fretting hand touch the strings to mute them (stop them from sounding) when you pluck/strum, creating a more percussive sound. Syn - Muted strum and Rhythm click |
| Fretless | Refers to fretboards that have no metal strips to mark off separate pitches. The result is a fretboard with a continuous scale of pitches. Usually only bass guitars are fretless. |
| Fret markers | Inlays that are usually found at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th and 21st frets and provide an easy way of tracking down the fret your are looking for. |
| Fret numbers | Numbers assigned to each of the frets to allow them to be denoted in tablature |
| Frets | 1. The spaces on the fretboard between each fret bar. Each numbered from the nut upward, starting on fret one. Open strings are referred to as fret 0. |
| 2. Sometimes used as another term for fret bars | |
| Fretting | Applying the pressure on the strings at a certain fret in order to sound a note |
| Fretting hand | The hand that applies pressure to the fretboard Syn - Fret hand |
| Full bend | Another term for whole bend |
| Fuzz | Very dirty sound |