Barre Chords on Guitar

What a barre is

Open chords let some strings ring unfretted. A barre chord replaces the nut with your index finger: it lies across the strings at one fret, and the other three fingers make a familiar chord shape beside it. Because no string is open, the whole shape can slide up the neck and the chord changes with it. Learn two or three shapes and you can play any major, minor or 7th chord, which is why barre chords are the usual next step after cowboy chords.

Open chords vs barre chords

Most players use both. Open chords suit ringing strumming parts; barre chords cover keys and chords with no open shape, such as F, Bm and B.

The E-shape barre chords

These shapes are the open E, Em and E7 chords moved up the neck, with the index finger taking the place of the nut. The root note is on the 6th string, so the fret of the barre decides the chord. At fret 1 the shapes spell F, Fm and F7.

Frets are listed from the 6th string to the 1st. Read each shape as a pattern, not as fixed fret numbers:

Move the major shape to fret 3 and you get G (3 5 5 4 3 3). Fret 5 gives A, fret 8 gives C.

The A-shape barre chords

These are the open A, Am and A7 shapes moved up the neck. The root note is on the 5th string and the 6th string is not played. At fret 2 the shapes spell B, Bm and B7.

The A-shape major is awkward at first because three fingers share one fret. Two common fixes: lay the ring finger flat across strings 4, 3 and 2, or keep the barre with the index and press those three strings with the tip of the ring finger. The B chord page and Bm page show the alternatives.

How to find any barre chord

Name the chord you want, find its root note on the 6th or 5th string, and put the shape there. The table lists the root note at every fret.

The open 6th string is E and the open 5th string is A, so fret 12 repeats them an octave higher.

Examples:

• C major: C is at fret 8 on string 6, so play the E-shape major with the barre at fret 8 (8 10 10 9 8 8). It is also at fret 3 on string 5, so the A shape at fret 3 (x 3 5 5 5 3) gives the same chord.
• B♭ major: fret 6 on string 6 (6 8 8 7 6 6) or fret 1 on string 5 (x 1 3 3 3 1).
• A minor: fret 5 on string 6 with the E-shape minor (5 7 7 5 5 5), or fret 12 on string 5 with the A-shape minor (x 12 14 14 13 12).
• D major: fret 10 on string 6 (10 12 12 11 10 10) or fret 5 on string 5 (x 5 7 7 7 5).

The same chord in two positions has the same note names in a different order and register, so pick whichever is closer to your last chord. The chord finder shows voicings for any chord, and how to read chord charts explains the diagrams.

How to play a barre: step by step

1. Place the index finger close behind the fret wire, not in the middle of the fret and never on top of the wire. Closer to the wire needs less pressure.
2. Roll the finger slightly onto its bony edge. The soft pad at the center of the finger has creases that let strings buzz. The edge is flatter and firmer. A few degrees of roll is enough.
3. Put the thumb behind the neck, roughly opposite the index finger, not wrapped over the top. This gives a stable pinch without squeezing hard.
4. Use arm weight, not a squeeze. Pull the elbow gently back and let the weight of the arm press the barre. Squeezing with the thumb tires the hand within seconds.
5. Add the other fingers one at a time, placing the tips just behind their frets.
6. Check each string. Pick the strings one by one from low to high. Any dull or buzzing string shows where to adjust, then strum.

Start the barre around frets 5 to 7, where the frets are closer together and the strings sit lower, then work toward fret 1 where the strings sit higher and more pressure is needed. Release the pressure fully between attempts so the hand rests.

Common problems and fixes

• Buzzing on one string. The index finger has a gap, often at a joint crease. Shift the finger a little up or down, or rotate it slightly toward the edge.
• Buzzing on all strings. Pressure is too light or the finger is too far from the fret. Move closer to the wire and press with arm weight.
• Muted strings in the middle. A fretting finger is touching its neighbor string. Arch the fingers and use the fingertips. On the A shape, the ring finger often mutes the 1st string; flatten it so it holds strings 4, 3 and 2 down without leaning on the 1st.
• Muted 1st or 6th string. The finger does not reach the end of the barre. Slide the hand slightly or adjust the finger angle.
• Hand or wrist pain. Stop. Pain usually means too much squeeze or a sharply bent wrist. Lower the thumb behind the neck, relax the wrist and rest between tries. Short sessions build strength safely.
• Thin or buzzy tone on every chord. The guitar’s action may be high. A shop setup that lowers the strings makes barre chords easier on any guitar.

Easy barre chords for beginners: stepping stones

You do not need the full six-string barre on day one.

• Small F. F on four strings, x x 3 2 1 1: the index finger barres only the top two strings at fret 1.
• Four-string versions. Play only the top four strings of an E shape, such as x x 3 1 1 1 for Fm, so the barre covers less.
• Partial barre. Barre only strings 1 and 2, or strings 1 to 3, and leave the lower strings unplayed.
• No barre at all. Fmaj7 (x x 3 2 1 0) has no barre and works for many F chords in simple songs.
• Capo. A capo at fret 1 turns an open E shape into F and an open Em shape into Fm. It changes the key of the whole piece, so it is an alternative, not a replacement.

How to get better at barre chords: a practice plan

1. Days 1 to 5: hold the E-shape barre at fret 5 (A major) for ten seconds, release, repeat five times. Check every string.
2. Days 6 to 10: change between the open E chord and the barre shape at fret 5, then at fret 3 for G.
3. Weeks 2 to 3: alternate two barre chords that go together, such as Bm and F♯m. Use the metronome at 60 BPM, change once per bar, and raise the tempo by 4 BPM only when the change is clean three times in a row.
4. Week 4 on: add the A shape, then the minor and 7th versions. Play the same chord in two positions and notice how the voicing changes.

Stop when the hand tires and come back the next day.