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Barre Chords
Guitar
Barre Chords and
Barre chords are just a special type of movable guitar chord
- These are chords you can shift up and down the fretboard in their
fixed formation. This in turn allows you to use those same familiar
chord fingerings in any key, simply by positioning
them at a new fret. Click here to watch a video introduction
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Barre for the Course 1)
E
shape barre chords |
In these lessons, we'll be looking at 5 main chord
shapes. Why shapes?
Well, the five main barre chords are derived from the shape of those
5 open position chords most of us
learn as absolute beginners - you know the ones - E, A, D, G and C,
down at the first few frets.
These are our foundation chord shapes, and we refer
to these same basic shapes as we move them up the fretboard and create
barre chords from them.
So, in a nutshell, here's what you have to look forward to learning:
1)
Automatically knowing how to play several voicings
of the same chord in several different positions over the
fretboard. This is about expanding your creative options.
2)
Knowing how to modify the standard barre chord shapes to create
tons more interesting chords, almost as second nature.
3)
Having the physical confidence and the muscle
memory to change between what would otherwise be awkward chord shapes!
So, let's get stuck in, starting with the E-shape barre...
Quick Links > The Theory | Fingering | Exercise & Jam Track | Chord Chart
E shape barre chords - First, the theory
Time and time again, I hear people simply refer to the E-shape barre chord as the dreaded "F chord". It's often seen as the first milestone after learning the 5 main open chord shapes.So, what makes it the "E-shape"? The sequence below starts off showing us the E major open position chord that I'm sure you're familiar with. This "shape" simply gets moved up, meaning we have to barre our index finger to represent where the nut (or capo) would be.
Don't try and play anything right now - just observe and listen...
Click diagrams in this lesson to hear
...and that shape can be positioned anywhere up the fretboard depending on what key you're playing in.
Now take a look at a similar diagram below...
This is just one way of identifying the key of the barre chord. The root note of the E-shape barre (the fretted red dot) is always on the E string, so if that root note was positioned at fret 5, it would be an A major chord.
There are higher root notes positioned on the D and high E strings, but at this stage, it's easiest to identify the key of the barre chord by looking at that lowest root note, as the rest of the chord is built from this point in this particular shape.
-----Side note----------------
Know all the root notes on the low E string? If not, this lesson will help.
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The E-shape also has a minor chord shape taken, like before, from the open E minor shape we're already familiar with.
Just like before, your barring finger acts as the nut, or capo, so you can position that whole shape wherever you need on the fretboard.
Now, the physical side - Building up those finger muscles!
At
first, ouch! You'll find that barring your index finger across all 6
strings like that is difficult to begin with.
With only your index finger barred, try picking each string - does each
one sound
cleanly? Is there any buzzing?
If there is buzzing, it means the string isn't being fretted properly.
Adjust your barre finger position, and try again, until each string
sounds cleanly.
Notice
how the barre finger is placed as close to the fret
wire as possible, without actually being
on the fret wire itself.
The non-barre fingers stand tall and arch down onto
the strings without
collapsing back. Fret with the finger tips.
Be patient - it won't feel comfortable at first, but judge it based on
whether all 6 strings sound cleanly... if they do, it's simply a case
of physically getting used to it, and trust me, you
will!
TIP: Give that index finger a workout! Barre the
strings, like above, for 10 seconds, play all 6 strings, then release
the barre, barre for 10 seconds again, then release etc. This will help
the
muscle memory set in.
Like I said before, just make sure each note sounds cleanly when you're
barring.
When you're confident with your barring strength, apply the other
fingers of the E-shape major chord, and once again make sure each note
in the chord rings cleanly.
Here are some more pics to help, starting with the major shape...
And now the minor shape (all we do is remove the 2nd finger)...
Guitar Example - Download Jam Track
What other chords can you create using the E-shape?
There are tons of chords that stem from this one shape! You see, as you delve deeper into the theory behind chord building, you realise that you're just pulling different tones or "flavours" from the major scale. The chord shape literally just gets superimposed over whatever notes are used from the major scale. This is covered in more depth in the theory section.Now, I'm usually against just throwing chord charts in front of you (known as "parrot fashion" learning!), but now we know the basic concept of this barre chord shape, it's just a case of knowing all the variations and chord flavours we can build around it.
Either use the chart below for just some of the chords you can create based around this shape, or, if you're more interested in really understanding chords and building interesting chords from scratch yourself, take the guitar chord theory lessons here.
When playing a chord progression using regular
major and minor chords, try
some of the major and minor variations below to see if you can spice up
the
song. You'll eventually learn which chord flavours compliment
particular
movements in a song!
Note: The diagrams below use a suggested
fingering - if you're playing a particular progression, you
might want to alter the fingerings to
accommodate...
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Major E-shape Major (e.g. A) Dominant 7
(e.g. A7) Higher-voiced
Dominant 7 Major 7 (e.g.
Amaj7) Add 9 (e.g.
Aadd9) Add 6 (e.g.
Aadd6) 7
Add 9 (e.g. A7add9) 7 Add 6 (e.g.
A7add6) Higher voiced
7 Add 6 13 (e.g.
A13/A7add6+9) |
Minor
E-shape Barre/Movable Chords Minor
(e.g. Am) Minor 7 (e.g. Am7) Higher-voiced Minor 7 Minor Major 7 (e.g. AmM7) Minor Add 9 (e.g. Amadd9) Minor Add 6 (e.g. Amadd6) Minor 7 Add 9 (e.g. Am7add9) Minor 7 Add 6 (e.g. Am7add6) Higher voiced Minor 7 Add 6 Minor 13 (e.g. Am13/Am7add6+9) |
Suspended E-shape Barre/Movable Chords
This is where the major or minor 3rd is replaced with the 4th/11th - more on this in the seperate chord theory lessons (see below if you're interested). They tend to be used as tension chords because of their "unresolved" feeling within a progression.
Sus
4 (e.g. Asus4)
Sus 4 Add 6 (e.g. Asus4add6) 7 Sus 4 Add 6 (e.g. A7sus4add6) |
7 Sus 4 (e.g. A7sus4) Sus 13 (e.g. Asus13) Sus 4
Add 9 (e.g. Asus4add9) |
Remember, you can cut these chord shapes down to make the fingerings more accessible.
They key thing is always the same - EXPERIMENT!
Start with the basic E-shape barre chord, major and minor, and see what
chords you can create by adding and removing notes, using your index
finger barre as the structural base and that low E root note.
Learn the other 4 main chord shapes in your own time. Each shape offers
an array of movable chord voicings, and the more creative options you
give yourself, the more expressive your music can potentially be.
Thanks for your time!
Learn another barre chord shape >
