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beginnertechnique

Barre Chords

Master E- and A-shape barre chords up the neck.

Objective

Play E-shape and A-shape barre chords cleanly at any fret, transitioning smoothly up and down the neck.

Concepts

  • ▸A barre chord uses the index finger laid flat across all six strings, acting as a moveable nut.
  • ▸E-shape barre: index bars all 6 strings; remaining fingers form the open E shape behind the bar.
  • ▸A-shape barre: index bars all 6 strings (or frets 2–5 only); remaining fingers form the open A shape.
  • ▸The root of an E-shape chord is on the low E string (6th). The root of an A-shape chord is on the A string (5th).
  • ▸Chromatic root positions on string 6: F=1, G=3, A=5, B=7, C=8, D=10, E=12.
  • ▸Chromatic root positions on string 5: B=2, C=3, D=5, E=7, F=8, G=10, A=12.

Diagram / Notation

F Major (E-shape, root fret 1)   Bm (A-shape, root fret 2)
e  --1--                         e  --2--
B  --1--                         B  --3--
G  --2--                         G  --4--
D  --3--                         D  --4--
A  --3--                         A  --2--
E  --1--                         E  --x--

B Major (E-shape, root fret 7)
e  --7--
B  --7--
G  --8--
D  --9--
A  --9--
E  --7--

Exercises

1.Barre finger isolation
  1. 1.Without any other fingers, barre the 5th fret with only your index finger.
  2. 2.Pluck each string individually. Every string must ring cleanly.
  3. 3.Adjust your index finger — the common fix is rolling it slightly toward the nut side.
  4. 4.Hold for 30 seconds, release, rest 10 seconds, repeat × 5.
2.E-shape barre up the neck
  1. 1.Play F (fret 1) → G (fret 3) → A (fret 5) → B (fret 7) → C (fret 8).
  2. 2.Strum each chord twice. Check every note rings.
  3. 3.Come back down the same path.
  4. 4.Keep your thumb centered behind the neck, not wrapped over the top.
3.Open → Barre transitions
  1. 1.Play open G, then jump to G barre chord (E-shape, fret 3).
  2. 2.They sound the same pitch — compare the tone difference.
  3. 3.Practice: open A → A barre (A-shape, fret 5) back and forth for 2 minutes.

Tips

  • 💡Pain is normal early on — build calluses gradually with 10-minute daily sessions.
  • 💡Place the barre as close to the fret wire as possible to minimize required pressure.
  • 💡Use the edge of your index finger (the bony side), not the soft center.
  • 💡If strings 1–2 buzz, your index fingertip may be touching them — straighten the finger.

Sources & Further Study

▶ Video♪ Song◉ Article✦ Lesson
✦JustinGuitar — Barre Chords↗▶YouTube — How to play barre chords (E-shape & A-shape)↗◉Wikipedia — Barre chord↗
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