Barre Chords

Barre chords are useful tools for guitarists. Just by knowing a few shapes a guitarist could play many chords in any key. A guitarist just needs to know one major barre chord shape and they would be able to play any major chord in any key. Same with a minor chord, dominant chord, sus chord, you name it. Just learn the shape and you can play that chord in any key, anywhere’s on the guitar. This is a phenomanal aspect about the guitar, not many instruments have this power. This is in direct conflict with the basic open position chords. With those chords, you need to learn a new shape for every new chord. Not so with barre chords, because you only need a few shapes and your can literally play any of the most used chords in any key anywheres on the guitar neck. Phenomanal.

How To Build A Barre Chord

It should be clear by now that the barre effectively replaces the use of the nut on the guitar. If not, then go back and read Part One. Once understanding the barre replaces the use of the nut, it should make sense that you could use the same basic chords in open position and apply them after the barre. Use the exact same chord shape, just replace the nut with the barre using your first finger and refinger the chord as necessary. While this method will work with all open position chords, there are four particular chord shapes, two major shapes and two minor shapes, that are essential for all guitarists.

The two basic open position chords that we will be using to build our major barre chords are the E major and the A major chord forms. Let's start with the E major chord. This chord should already be familiar. If not then read up on the basic chords in open position. The two diagrams to the right is an E major chord in open position followed by an F# major barre chord. Take a look between the two and notice the similarities and differences.

Compare the dots, both the white and black dots on the two chords. They are in the same places relative to each other. Guitarists will use all sorts of words to describe this. You will often hear the terms shape, form, picture and grip and even more abstract ones such as outline or feel. But they all mean the same thing, referring to how the dots on a chord diagram are placed.

The following below is an animation which clearly describes and demonstrates the steps required to turn an open position chord into a barre chord.

Part III - The four essential Barre Chords