Minor Barre Chords | Free Online Guitar Lesson

lesson summary

Lesson 10 of 51 in our Basic Guitar Series: Minor Barre Chords

Mark introduces minor barre chords that utilize the shape of the "open" Em chord.
Chapter 1: (02:28) Welcome and Review Before getting started with todays lesson be sure to review and practice the following:

- Warm-up the hands

- Stretch the wrists

- Play the major and minor open chords.

- Warm up your strums by relaxing the wrists and letting the pick flow over the strings.

- Play the E major chord in the “new” way and play the type 1 bare chords.

- Play the A major chord in the “new” way and play the type 2 bare chords.

- Practice the “slanting A” technique.

Warmed up and ready to go? Good!

Chapter 2: (01:32) Fingering the E Minor As you might recall, we’ve been working on the construction of barre chords, as well as the theory that accompanies them. Review last weeks lessons if you need to reacquaint yourself with any of the particulars.

Remember that the half steps are only between B and C and E and F, the rest of the chords (and notes) are a whole step apart. Keep these facts in mind as we continue with the next lessons.

As you’ll recall, the E major chord is the central configuration for the type 1 barre chords but as you will see, the E minor is the basis for the type 1 minor barre chords. From this point on, play the open Em in this fashion: Place the third or ring finger on the A-string second fret and the pinky on the D-string second fret. This will leave your first finger available to use as your bar finger.

Em
E_0_
B_0_
G_0_
D_2_
A_2_
E_0_

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about Mark Lincoln

Mark Lincoln: Acoustic Composer, Performer, and Teacher

Mark Lincoln was born in S. California but was raised near Portland Oregon in a town called Beaverton. When he was twelve years old, he began his journey into the realm of the creative by composing poetry and was later published in a journal called "In Dappled Sunlight." He wrote for four years until his older sister blessed him with his first guitar, an old beat-up nylon stringed classical guitar. Mark played that guitar for five years, continuing to compose his own lyrics and starting the process of matching his own words with chords that he was learning on the guitar. He learned to play chords from his friends and from music books that he both bought and borrowed. Mark cited his four biggest influences, at that point at least, as The Who, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, The Rolling Stones.

Mark cites his most current influences as Radiohead, U2, older music by REM, and Peter Gabriel amongst others. He performs with two acoustic guitars, one being a six-string M-36 Martin with a three-pieced back for increased bass response, and a Guild Twelve-string which is his most recent acquisition. Mark is fond of saying that the twelve-string guitar is better because you get two guitars for the price of one, but he still plays his Martin equally as much and with the same passion.

Mark ended up in Fort Collins Colorado where he currently lives, works as a Marriage and Family Therapist, and continues to write, teach and perform music. He currently performs with a group called "Black Nelson" as well as with a number of other seasoned professional musicians including his cousin David, a virtuoso lead-guitar player. Mark has performed in many of the smaller venues in Denver and Boulder, as well as some of the larger ones including the Fox Theatre, The Boulder Theatre, Herman's Hideaway, and also at The Soiled Dove where he opened for Jefferson Starship as a soloist. Some of Mark's originals are also available for your listening pleasure on My space .com

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