Barre Chords II

Barre chords are essentially open-string chord shapes that can be formed at different points on the fingerboard. To form a barre chord:

1. The first finger is stretched across the width of the fingerboard.

E[--2-----
B[--2-----
G[--2-----
D[--2-----
A[--2-----
E[--2-----

Kind of like putting a capo on a certain fret.

2. The remaining three fingers are used to form the chord shape. An E Barre Chord thats the shape of an E chord, but is actually F#:

E[--2-----
B[--2-----
G[--3-----
D[--4-----
A[--4-----
E[--2-----

So now, you are forming an E chord shape, but since it has moved up the fingerboard, you are actually playing F#. Essentially, the first finger acts as the nut, or zero fret. The great thing about barre chords are that they allow open-string chord shapes to be played in any key. The most commonly used barre chords are E Shaped (like the exercise above) and A Shape. Less common are those formed around the open C and G chords. They are possible, but much trickier to pull off. Barre chords are also sometimes known as "slash" chords.

Why do barre chords work? Barre chords work because the first finger acts as a repositioned nut from which open string chord shapes can be built. In practice, this is more complex since you no longer have a first finger to fret individual notes. Some guitarist like the way the open string chord shapes sound. Others appretiate the ease with which chord changes can be made. Therefore, some players choose to, instead of forming barre chords, they place a CAPO on a fret instead. The capo works by fitting over the strings of the fingerboard and pressing down, using a clamp on the back, acting just as the first finger of a barre chord would word, but now, you have the first finger back, being able to fret individual notes. If a capo were fitted on the fifth fret, and a standard E Major chord shape were formed, the resulting chord would be A Major.

The E Shaped Barre.
As we worked on above, the E Shaped barre chord works by having the first finger pressed against all the strings of a certain fret. After this is done, the remaining three fingers are free to form an E Major chord shape. The E Major Chord Shape:

E[--0-----
B[--0-----
G[--1-----
D[--2-----
A[--2-----
E[--0-----

If a barre is formed on the fourth fret, and an E Major chord is formed, the resulting chord is G#. The correct chord name for an E Shaped barre chord can always be found by finding the barred note you are fretting on the sixth string.

The A Shaped Barre.
The A Shaped barre works in the same way as an E Shaped barre, but you only need to barre the first five strings. The sixth string is optional, because the ROOT will always be on the fifth string. A regular A Major chord looks like this:

E[--0-----
B[--2-----
G[--2-----
D[--2-----
A[--0-----
E[-(0)----

Again, the sixth string is optional, and even though its musically correct, in some cases it just makes the chord sound wrong. Most players like the lessened strength it takes to hold down one less string in an A Shaped barre chord anyway, so this should'nt be a problem. So, forming an A Shaped barre on the second fret of the fifth string, will result in a B Major Chord.

E[--2-----
B[--4-----
G[--4-----
D[--4-----
A[--2-----
E[-(2)----

I find the chord sounds better when the sixth string is not played.

Making barre chords easier.
It's good to have a low action on your guitar if you use barre chords frequently. The action of a guitar refers to the hight from the string to the top of the fingerboard. This can easily be adjusted to your likings at a guitar shop, and I would only reccomend doing it yourself if your confident in your abilities. Well, thats about it. If you wish to know about the C and G Shaped barres, then, please, by all means PM me in the forums, and I'll send you some information on it. Because they are very rarely used in popular playing, I have not included them in the lesson. Well, I hope this can help with your barre chord needs.

Comments

[MrVert]

If you think Hendrix wrote "fag pop" music, you'll probably get beaten up and gang raped for it. Barre chords aresomthing he used alot in his music, along with chord fills, which come from them.

[chancelovesbonn]

hey can i print this

[mongbrain]

FAG POP? did u no that power chords r basically barre chords but without playing the bottom 2 (or 3) strings, in the form of an E minor. A LOT of modern (and classic) rock bands use barre chords to create a greater tone and depth to their music.

[orestm]

good. barre chords are useful and are used in a wiiide variety of music, so its good to know them anyway. however you only included Major barre chords... what about Minor? 7th? Minor 7th?

[eastlake]

elliott smith used barre chords. not fag music by the way.

[Lickchop_2004]

i think oswald is a fuk job! eat shiit

[sparkus04]

look people this guy wrote a well good article on barre chords so why all the trash typing to each other? seriously? barre chords tend to be used by the huge majority of guitarists-theres a whole world of music u miss out on if u cant play em or choose not to.barre chords are just chords played with more skill and knowledge! i seriously found my playing take a huge leap after learning them-sure its not as impressive as copying a famous solo by tab or whatever but u can do far better in the long run

[bLoWn]

i mean... i think this is a great article/lesson for beginners, it's just that it should be the part 1, and the part 2 should be the lesson about making 7th chord with barres and so on. but that's just my opinion... anyway great job dude

[Ezekahr]

fag pop? afi use a ton, theyre not exactly pop..

[alexcjalali]

the white stripes rarely use barres, also oswald. you are a moron. and actually, yes jimi could read music, you think he completely accidently guessed each note in perfect scale? he used to be a professional working guitarist for other bands, knowing music and theory is kinda in the job description....

[avalanche930]

I think we all realize Oswald is an angry person. who looks at articles just to tr and trash what their about. If you think barr chords are for fag po then why the hell are you looking at an article about them? Do you think your own music is fag pop?

[Angry youth]

erm 3 or so things elliott smith altho he was a legend, was gay which some may call fag :P And yeah barre chords can create tones of weird chords

[Shilo Zaba]

hey guys, need some help. does anyone know what this chord is called??? ((224235))

[jedah]

hmmm...ur good

[Utara]

Zamboni can you pls. teach me the C and G barres. I don't know your e-mail but I can give you mine. Pls.
e-mail at [e-mail]

I'm looking forward to your reply, Thanks!!!!

[liam177lewis]

good lesson, i wondered what the hell scott gorham was doing... and now i know, such a life...

cheers x

[Teddy b]

great lesson mate.

[Benzoid]

Great lesson. And not just fag pop uses barre chords..try playing Canon in D without Drop D without using barre chords , it will not sound as good ( though u can do it ) , or be as easy without learning how to barre .

Thanks for this , I cant barre for nuts lol

[airlinemusic]

I'm saving this link, glad I found this page again.
Thanks posting about barre chords.

spam deleted

Thanks for the nice comments guys

[Punk as atticus]

AAAAAhhhhh

[Punk as atticus]

349 dumb asss

[gregorisgod]

alexcjalali:
the white stripes rarely use barres, also oswald. you are a moron. and actually, yes jimi could read music, you think he completely accidently guessed each note in perfect scale? he used to be a professional working guitarist for other bands, knowing music and theory is kinda in the job description....


Dear mr alexcjalali, it is a well known fact that Jimi Hendrix could not read music. He learned most of his stuff by ear, and never looked into theory. Ever.

[gregorisgod]

Also, I liked this lesson.

[buffatron]

id say is some hero who thinks he knows hendrix, but it appears he doesnt know what colour his skin was let alone weather he reads music or not, sigh at alexcjalali's heroicness

[buffatron]

and yes i also liked this lesson although i dislike barres

[jaxtheaxe]

top work

[NooneSavedUs]

Barre chords just plain SUCK until you learn them. Then they are the greatest thing since the humbucker. Even though they came first. Just understand the comparison.

[Bhaalsmasher]

gregorisgod:
"Dear mr alexcjalali, it is a well known fact that Jimi Hendrix could not read music. He learned most of his stuff by ear, and never looked into theory. Ever."

how do you know? how is shit like that a "well know fact"? how do you know he didn't sneak books from wherever about music theory and secretly learned all of that stuff.

who knows? who cares. he rules regardless.

[heyz]

damn! I just can't stretch my fingers to get the B Major chord. How do u guys do it?

[jsussman43]

just make a small bar with your third finger

[punksucks23]

where did he write that hendrix wrote fag pop music?

[UG-Strangest]

haven't read but barre chords are gud, by the way, who is hendrix?

[iamme1584]

do you seriously not know who hendrix is?

[stampy_69]

I'm confuzzled

[stampy_69]

wait.....wtf do u mean 'who is hendrix?'?! oh my god! even i know who jimmy hendrix is!

[slapknutter]

awsoem it is easy when u get it lol

[Stefan123]

ok?

[rocknrolldogs]

barre chords are hard, i need too spend more time praticeing and less time complaining but comeplaing is so much more easy

[rocknrolldogs]

barre chords are hard, i need too spend more time praticeing and less time complaining but comeplaing is so much more easy

[Medicjef]

look at the bottom of the explanation: it says PRINT THIS ARTICLE

[anti-king]

hi can anyone tel me a trick 4 barre chords i need help

badly

e-mail me at [e-mail]
thanx

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