Barre Chords and More Guitar Lesson

Barre Chords and More

You learned many chords in the last lesson and a few chord progressions. In this lesson, Brad applies various strumming patterns/rhythms to these progressions. Finally, he introduces the formidable barre chords.

Taught by Brad Henecke in Rock Guitar with Brad Henecke seriesLength: 42:23Difficulty: 2.5 of 5

In this lesson we would like to go over some strumming patterns, but before we can do that you must have an understanding of what 4/4 timing is.

4/4 Timing and the First Pattern
The chart above shows a strumming pattern that uses four strums in 4/4 timing. In music we have what we call measures, the above is a sample of one measure in 4/4 timing. The thick lines on the right and left start and end the measure while what is inside those bars is what is played. In 4/4 time (or quarter notes) you get four beats per measure. The 1,2,3 and 4 in the above example are the beats. This first strumming pattern is very simple in that you simply strum down four times.

To practice this strumming pattern count out 1,2,3,4 evenly with your voice and strum the A chord down for two measures. Simply practice this to get the feel for 4/4 timing and the all down-strum pattern.

Now that we have explained what 4/4 timing is and showed you the basic down-strum only pattern we will move on to one that is slightly more advanced. Please look at the image below for a visual representation of Strumming Pattern #2.

The above chart is strumming pattern #2. As you can see, the first 3 beats in the measure are the same as strumming pattern #2. They are just down strums. Once you get past the 3rd beat you see that there is more then just a downs strum on the 4th beat. In between the 3rd and 4th beats and after the 4th beat there is an up strum. So you are playing an up strum in between each down strum which gives this pattern a faster, more lively feel. Think of it as saying 1, 2, 3 and 4 and, where the ands are an up strum. Down, down, down up down up.

The third strumming pattern in this lesson features a technique called palm muting which is widely used in all styles of electric guitar. Please view the below graphic for a visual representation of this strumming pattern.

As you can see this strumming pattern is once again and all down stroke pattern, however this time the down strums occur twice as fast and there are 8 instead of four. This part is easy, the part that sets this strumming pattern apart from the rest is that it uses a technique called palm muting.

Palm muting is when you use the palm on your right hand to muffle the strings while strumming a chord. This gives a chunky, rock and roll feel to your playing. The proper amount of tension used to mute the strings with your palm can be tricky to figure out, so experiment with different tensions until the desired sound is discovered

Now that you have interesting new strumming patterns to play we simply need a nice chord progression to play them with, and that is what this chapter is all about.

This chord progression has 8 measures. The first two measures will be C, the 3rd measure will be G, the 4th measure will be G7, the 5th measure will be Am, the 6th measure will be Am7, the 7th measure will be G and the 8th measure will be G7. For a visual representation please see "Chord Progression #1" in the supplemental content section.

First we will play the chord progression using the first strumming pattern where you play only down strums, 4 of them per measure. Simply go through the chord progression and strum the chord downwards 4 times for each measure. Repeat as many times as necessary for you to play this chord progression smoothly.

Now use the exact same chord progression and play it with the second strumming pattern that we learned in this lesson. If you need a visual representation of either please view "Chord Progression #2" and "Strumming Pattern #2" in the supplemental content section.

Now use the exact same chord progression and play it with the third strumming pattern that we learned in this lesson. If you need a visual representation of either please view "Chord Progression #3" and "Strumming Pattern #3" in the supplemental content section.

In this lesson we are going to begin exploring the world of barre chords. However, it is quite important to understand that barre chords require a lot of finger strength. It may be extremely hard for beginners to finger these chords, so we are going to go over a few exercises which might help.

The first one is very simple and can be done anytime, anywhere. Simply open your hand all the way and then close it into a fist. Doing this repetitively will work the muscles in your wrist which are very important to playing the guitar. This exercise isn't very intense, and once you have good hand strength it may not be worth it, however for people having trouble with barre chords may find it of great use.

The second exercise is quite easy as well, but involves playing the guitar so not only is it an exercise but can also be considered a warm up. The exercise begins on the 5th fret, using all four fingers. Have your first finger play the 5th fret, second finger playing the 6th fret, third finger playing the 7th fret and 4th finger playing the 8th fret. With this simple exercise you start off by playing the 5th fret on the low E string (6th) with your first finger. Now play the 6th fret on the same string with your second finger, but unlike normal leave your first finger on the 5th fret. Leaving the fingers down after you have played them helps you stretch your hands and build strength. Repeat this with your 3rd and fourth fingers so that you have all four fingers laid down on the guitar at the same time, on the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th frets. Do this exercise across all of the strings. Once it becomes easy on the 5th fret you can move to the 4th as your starting position which will be harder as your fingers have to stretch slightly more. After you have mastered that play the entire thing backwards, meaning start at the 8th fret and work back to the 5th from the high e to the low e string.

The third exercise is very tough on those with weaker hands. Place your 1st finger on the 5th string of the high E (1st) string. Then take your fourth finger (pinky) and do a trill (hammer on/pull off combo) repeatedly on the 8th fret. Do this repeatedly until your hand becomes tired. After you practice that you can do the trill up and down in the same fret positions over 6 strings.

Now that you have some exercises you are ready to learn barre chords!

What is a Barre Chord
Basically, a barre chord requires you to play more then one fret with the same finger. For the purposes of this lesson the barre chord will require your first finger to barre 5 or 6 strings.

Barre chords are basically the shape of the open chord, but you use your first finger to barre a fret thus effectively moving the nut of your guitar up. So for instance, for the E shape barre chord you place your first finger across all of the strings on the 3rd fret. Then make the shape of the E chord as you regularly would pretending your first finger is the nut. That means you would put your second finger on the 4th fret of the G string, your 3rd finger on the 5th fret of the A string and your 4th finger on the 5th fret of the D string. It makes the shape of the E chord, but because you have moved it up the neck and barred it with your 3rd finger it is a different note. Remember, on the guitar we make new notes by shortening the strings, so moving up the neck with a barre chord creates a new not each time. Whatever note your are barring on the 6th fret determines the name of the chord in the example of the E shape. That is why barre chords are so absolutely important, they allow you to play many different chords up and down the neck of the guitar without memorizing too many things. Look at the two pictures below to see the difference between an E shape barre chord and a regular E open chord.

The E Shape Barre Chord

We used the E shape barre chord in the example above, however we will review it quickly to make sure you understand. The chord chart on the left depicts the G major chord, which uses the E shape. The reason the chord is called a G major is because the note on the 3rd fret of the low E (6th) string is a G. That is how you determine which chord you are playing when using the E shape barre chord. If you moved it up one fret it would be a different chord using the shame shape.

Anyhow, fingering the E shape barre chord is quite easy on paper but harder in practice. Getting your finger to go across 6 strings and keep them all depressed is quite difficult. To practice I recommend taking your first finger alone and trying to press all 6 strings down and don't worry about the rest of the chord at first. Play with the positioning of your finger and how hard you have to push until you find a position that allows you to comfortably play all 6 strings. In the real world using real chords you will never actually only be playing with your first finger, so all 6 strings ringing won't be as important, but I find this really helps you get a feel for barre chords. Now, after you have done that place your 2nd finger on the 4th fret of the G (3rd string). Then place your 3rd finger on the 5th fret of the A (5th) string and your 4th finger on the 5th fret of the D (4th) string. This makes a G Major chord because of the frets, remember you can move this shape up and down the entire neck of the guitar.

If you wish to see a chart of the notes on the neck of the guitar to help figure out which fret makes which chord using the E shape, please go to the supplemental content section and select "Guitar Note Chart."

The A Shape Barre Chord

The A Shape barre chord is similar in shape to the A open chord, much as the E shape is similar to the E major chord. This particular chord is considered a C major because it is barred on the 3rd fret, and if we remember correctly barre chord shapes can be used up and down the neck to create different chords.

Playing this chord can be very difficult, in fact this is most likely one of the hardest chords you will ever play. Barre the first 5 strings on the 3rd fret of the guitar, and then take your 3rd finger and lay it down over the D (4th), G (3rd) and B ) 2nd strings. This requires an enormous amount of hand strength and flexibility, so it will probably take you a good amount of time to be able to play this chord well. Don't give up however, it is hard for EVERYONE when they are just learning barre chords.

Since the A shape does not play the low E (6th) string, the chord is named after the note that is being barred on the A (5th string) So for instance, pretty down on the 3rd fret of the A string gives a C not, so this A shape barre chord is called a C Major chord.

The C shape Barre Chord

The C shape barre chord once again uses the shape of the C major open chord. In this example, which is technically a D major chord because of the fret it is played on, you simply have your first finger barre all 6 strings on the 2nd fret and then use the remaining fingers to play the C major shape. To do that place your 2nd finger on the 3rd fret of the B (2nd) string, 3rd finger on the 4th fret of the D (4th) string and your fourth finger on the 5th fret of the A (5th) string.

The note that is played on the 5th string determines what a chord using the C shape barre chord is called. For instance, the 5th fret on the 5th string is a D note, which makes this a D major chord. It's important to understand the difference between a barre chord shape and the actual note that is being played.

As with all barre chords this one is difficult to play and will require practice and time to master. So whatever you do don't give up! The strength in your hand will gradually improve and before you know it you will be playing barre chords like a god!

Minor Barre Chord Using the E Shape

You can transform any E shape barre chord into a minor chord very easily! All you have to do is finger the E shape barre chord form as normal but remove your second finger from the guitar. In this particular example the second finger would be removed from the 6th fret, but as barre chords move up and down the neck it is easier to just remember lift your second finger. The chord in this example is called an A Minor chord.

It is easy to remember the "E Minor Shape" barre chord by it's relationship to the E major shape barre chord, however it is best to practice and memorize the chord by itself as you will not always be going from E Major shape to E minor shape. This chord is very simple. In this example we will start playing on the fifth fret, which means you will barre every string on the 5th fret with your first finger. Then take your 3rd finger and place it on the A (5th) string on the 7th fret and your 4th finger on the D (4th) string 7th fret. This creates an A minor barre chord using the E minor shape.

This chord may be slightly harder to finger then the E Major shape because when you lift your second finger that means barring all 6 strings becomes more important.

Major and Minor Exercuse

Now we wish to share a short exercise to help you practice the various barre chord shapes we have learned. The exercise simply moves you up the neck and forces you to change chord shapes. Start by playing the B Minor barre chord (E minor shape on the 7th fret), then move on to the 6th fret and play a C shape barre chord followed by an E shape barre chord on the 5th fret and lastly a C shape chord on the 4th fret. The point of this exercise is not to memorized the chords or anything along those lines, simply to practice playing different barre chord shapes on different positions up and down the neck. Try making up your own exercises to practice barre chords as they are very difficult and lots of practice will be required before you can play them with ease.

Congratulations! You are now done with Rock Guitar Episode 3. Please make sure to practice everything in this lesson thoroughly before moving on. Having the strength and knowledge of barre chords is quite crucial to every guitar player so do not neglect practicing and learning these chords.

Member Comments about this Lesson

ermchan replied on May 10th, 2013

ugh....my fingers just cant do a C shape barre....

benthebos replied on February 24th, 2013

that fan blowing his hair would be a cool look on stage

rocknrolldream replied on December 28th, 2011

Brad what is a good way to set up a practice session for a beginner learning the bar chords. My wrist get's pretty tired especially trying to make the A form chord clear.

bossofme replied on October 6th, 2011

Hi Brad. I like your lessons very much. In your palm muting lesson in Rock Guitar, following the chord sequence, do I only play the first 2 or 3 strings of the chord? That seems to be what the video shows, but you never mention it.

hojocat replied on August 25th, 2011

Who else was inspired to look up the tab for "Just What I Needed" by The Cars after doing the exercises with palm muting?

ehwwong replied on May 29th, 2011

must be hot in the studio.... :)

jtimmins replied on April 6th, 2011

Hey brad, Im having trouble with the C bar chord. I have trouble barring all 6 strings even if Im only focusing on using the first finger. I feel like my hands arent strong enough to push them all down, and as a result the 3rd string is always muffled. Are there any specific exercises youd recommend to build up strength? Thanks for the great lessons!

jbooth replied on April 6th, 2011

You don't really need to barre all 6 strings for the c. The 6th string is totally necessary. Also, remember, you only truly need to be hitting the strings that aren't depressed by other fingers with your barre. Concentrate on those, as opposed to pressing all 5 strings down. So on this chord you really only NEED to be pressing down the high e string, and the G string. It's much easier if you think of it that way. It's not wrong to hold all 6 strings and used the low E, but it makes a very hard chord shape that much more difficult, and is, at least in my eyes, unnecessary.

jtimmins replied on April 6th, 2011

Thanks! Love the site by the way

davebogue replied on May 17th, 2010

I Brad- I have been playing guitar for a while but I just recently got into barre chords in your lesson. I broke my left wrist in 97 and my supination is limited. This is making fingering difficult. Have you heard of this before and is there any way to compensate, i.e. holding the guitar different? I find myself leaning to the left a lot. Thanks

otisnova replied on March 12th, 2010

Is there any rule as to which strings to concentrate on to pluck when palm muting a chord. I have real trouble getting a good consistant sound. I notice Brad is only hitting maybe 3 strings when palm muting a chord...is this the best way to go. I find it difficults to strum while keeping my palm at the proper position and pressure.

mdreynolds replied on September 16th, 2007

Is there any way I can get the tab or chords written out for the sequence that brad is playing on the intro to Lesson 3. Please let me know it is very cool and I would like to learn the whole thing. Thanks

born2bblue replied on January 23rd, 2010

I have the same question about scene 3 of lesson 3 intro... is that posted anywhere?

robab replied on October 21st, 2009

I am confused with the D major Barre Chord, why is it that the first finger is on the 2nd frett (F sharp) and it is called a D chord? What exactly gives each chord its name and how do you figure it out?

synotic replied on January 11th, 2010

The root is usually the first note of the chord. So with a C chord, the first note is a C, and is on the 5th string. So when you play the D major chord using the C shape barre chord, you should actually still be hitting the fifth string (and not the sixth string, which as you mentioned is F#). So the root moves two frets from C to D and it's a D major chord.

tammy7689 replied on December 26th, 2009

i believe its because the 3rd fret on the 2nd string is a D note and thats the root note....someone plz correct me if im wrong....thats why it makes it the D barre chord

tammy7689 replied on December 26th, 2009

there is no way i will ever get the C shape barre chord lol

felipe replied on July 12th, 2009

Brad, On barre chords, what is the position of thumb finger of left hand on the neck? I tried like Mark Brennan showed it in his lesson.

carollb replied on April 26th, 2009

The intro is EXACTLY what I want to learn to play. Just good, solid rythym that rocks! Looking forward to learing how!

dlapera72 replied on June 1st, 2009

i downloaded adobe but the video is still not playing any tips?

kevinace replied on June 1st, 2009

Email me directly at kevin@jamplay.com and I'll see what I can do to help you out. Is it just this video that's not playing or is it other videos on the site as well? How about the main video on JamPlay.com? What about Q&A videos or lick library videos? Please provide all this information when you email me.

firstmile replied on May 31st, 2009

This lesson is broken. The video will not load.

nessa replied on June 1st, 2009

Please download the latest version of Flash here: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ That should help!

jake home replied on February 5th, 2009

easy

sendbaht replied on April 11th, 2009

Thanks Brad for the lessons, I like you easy style. Hay, when I pratice the barr cords I put my fingers down first then then index finger. When you were begining what came first fingers then index or index then fingers? I'm sure I need to learn to place them all at the same time, but? Any help would be great.

lukacar24 replied on February 1st, 2009

you rock!

byronblack replied on January 26th, 2009

Hi Brad, After progressing from the first phase lessons (after re-teaching myself after playing badly for 10 years), your lessons are the first ones that i've chosen to study. I really like your teaching style, you explain everything very well. This particular lessons has been excellent as I always strugged with Barre chords, I can now get the fingering right and they sound good - just need to work on your exercise a little more to be able to change cleanly between them. Keep up the great work Brad!

twiztedfatex replied on January 22nd, 2009

hey ive been playing for two years...i know alot bar chords and basic chords and i can play them all fine...but when i got to you c shaped bar chord i struggle a little(my hands arent the biggest) any tips or thoughts would be appricated...Rock on bro

jbooth replied on January 22nd, 2009

The C shape is really tricky. My hand has a very, very hard time playing the C shape barre which is why I play an abbreviated version. Basically I only bar the 3rd and 1st strings with my index finger. Since none of the other notes are open it's not necessary to have the finger covering 5 or 6 strings. This helped me a lot.

scottbrown replied on January 19th, 2009

Brad, I notice when I am playing my barre chords that I tend to raise the neck up a few inches( not like Gene Simmons or anything) it seems to get my hand in a better position. Is this a bad thing that I should try to stop doing now?

Brad.Henecke replied on January 19th, 2009

No it is not a bad thing .When you raise the neck up a bit it makes a better angle for your wrist. You want your wrist to be able to curve more so when you are holding a Barre with your finger the finger can be at more of a straight line over the fret. The only time raising the neck a bit is a bad thing is when you start sticking your tongue out like Gene Simmons LOL.

eick replied on January 2nd, 2009

great lesson its tough and i think ill be on it for a month before moving on.lol

eick replied on December 27th, 2008

Hey Brad grate lesson was rilly haven a tough time with the bar cords. But ill just keep worken at it I figured i might be going too fast threw the lessons .Im just getten to agressive i gess but thanks. As i said before great lesson

Brad.Henecke replied on December 29th, 2008

It takes quite a wile to master the Bar chords .Just keep at it .It will all come together . Happy Holidays ! :)

peterwest replied on October 30th, 2008

Brilliant lesson, before I just couldn't get barre chordes from TABs now I can do them fine (Just hurts my fin gers a little though). Again well done. By the way nice rocking at the last section

trex replied on September 14th, 2008

Great lesson. I've always had a tuff time with barre chords. They are so much easier now that I had a shop "set up" my guitar. The finger exercises are helping also.

redsoxnationsteve replied on September 10th, 2008

Brad, Thanks....This was a great lesson. I struggled in the beginning with the E Shape Barre Chord, but is becoming quite familiar with that and the A Shape Barre Chord. The C Shape Barre is one I am struggling with right now, as my pinkie seems to have a mind of it's own. Thanks again for this great lesson.

Brad.Henecke replied on September 10th, 2008

great to hear your working out the barr chords .keep working on them soon they will become eazy .

bwoodatstate replied on May 15th, 2008

Hey Brad, I am having a hard time getting all the strings to ring out doing a E shape bar cord anywhere on the neck. I heard that you are suppose to put your nuckle between the two highest strings and that your index finger should slightly roll over on itself. Also, where is the best place to put my thumb?? Thanks

redsoxnationsteve replied on August 21st, 2008

Great lesson so far. I am also having some problems forming the E shape Barre Chord, and getting all the notes to rang true. I quess, I will just take a break, and be back at it soon. Cheers

Brad.Henecke replied on May 16th, 2008

The best place to put your thumb is in the middle of the back of your guitar neck. your fingers will be in a better position for playing the chord .Your wrist needs to be bent, not straight . I do believe your barring finger does slightly role to the side . Try this and see if it helps .

jbooth replied on May 15th, 2008

Where you put your finger REALLY depends a lot on your hand, the shape of your fingers and where the creases / joints are in the finger you barre with. It's really hard to give a definitive answer on that other then play with position. What I recommend is take all of your fingers off but the barre and experiment until you can make all 6 strings ring out. That is probably the optimal place for your finger. One thing to keep in mind is that the issue might not be your finger placement, but your hands may not have adjusted to the strength required to hold a barre down yet, so this may be something that will improve in time. It's also a possibility that your guitar action is too high or the neck is a bit to wide for you. I used to have an Ibanez that I couldn't barre on at all.

frugal replied on June 28th, 2008

I'd just like to share a tip for anyone that's having trouble with the c-shape barre chord, as I was. Don't barre all 6 strings - just 1 to 5 as the 6th string isn't played anyway. I was having trouble with the high e string sounding dull, but by barring only 5 strings I can get extra pressure on there and now it sounds sweet!

jbooth replied on June 28th, 2008

You can also just barre the 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings as well. This may be harder then easier for some depending on hand shape though.

frugal replied on June 29th, 2008

Good point :) Although I prefer to keep 5 barred so it's easier (for me at least) to make the transition back to the e-shape barre. Now I just need to convince my pinky to go where it should on the c-shape, I'm finding this really tough.

Sylvia replied on August 10th, 2008

ha ha ha! I have a pinkie rebel too! My pinkie will get the string but it doesn't wanna let go. The 3 string barre helps me a lot and today I barred 4 strings! Woo hoo progress! ;o)

sopkat replied on March 24th, 2008

Hi Brad Not sure the best way to practice in conjunction with doing lessons. What do you advise? Is there a standard practice regime I should be donng daily plus the lesson specifics I have currently just done? Is the lesson structure designed for example, 1 lesson per week and practice daily? I know this will vary based on skill, patience and time availablw but a guide would be nice. Thanks BTW: I am doing lesson 3 if this is relevant

Brad.Henecke replied on March 24th, 2008

The great thing about on line guitar lessons is that you can advance at your own pace. What I would do is keep a note book of all the lessons you have. Any time you learn a new chord or a new scale adds it to your regular Dailey practice time. Set your self up with some time for playing chords learning new chords , Playing through scales learning new scales .There will be a lot of learning things and then going over them to keep up on it .The main thing is to keep your self moving forward . Learning new songs is a good way to help your self feel like you are moving in an Up word direction .The most important thing to remember is to keep it fun and play what you want to play.

ramparts replied on February 17th, 2008

My pattern-based logic is crumbling here. If on the C major chord you skip playing the 6th string (E in this case), why play the 6th string on the C-shaped bar chords? In scene 11 brad plays all 6 of them. Thanks

jbooth replied on February 17th, 2008

Hello, Technically you can play the 6th string on a C shape barre chord as the note is part of the chord, but most people do not, as it is best to start out playing the root note of the chord. So it can be played, but is generally not recommended.

Brad.Henecke replied on March 9th, 2008

thanks Jeff for the answer your right on !!

spiderlucci replied on March 8th, 2008

Hi Brad, it look like you where doing the" CAGED THEROY" I'm not sure if you or the newbies know the CAGED THEROY but it's is really important in the way it fits so, you mention that if you hit the six string for the root note that would be the name of the chord... not always true... I would clear that up with some people because they may get confuse. If you pick up a book called "fretboard Logic SE by Bill edwards you are doing CAGED THEROY BRAD! I hope this helps you and everyone else. Spider

Brad.Henecke replied on March 9th, 2008

I have that book. It's a very good one to have .It helps you understand how chords and shapes all fit together On the guitar neck .I can't coppy the way some one else teaches but i do beleave in making the lessons as visual as possible i do reccommend the book .It is a good one to have and may help clear up any questions that may come along the way .

JamPlay User replied on March 9th, 2008

Hey there. As far as I know generally with the barre shapes he's playing the lowest string is the root note. For instance E shape 6th string = naming note, C shape 5th string = root note, A shape 5th string = root note. Granted the 6th string may be part of the chord in some instances but I believe he is simply teaching not to play the 6th string on the 5th string root notes.

spiderlucci replied on March 9th, 2008

if your talking to me.. I never said, he was wrong but if brad explains how the CAGED Theroy works that's if he knows it ... most guitarest don't than again you never know... you will understand better how the chords fit together. Read the whole thing and you'll see a book called Fretboard Logic. type it in the search google or yahoo! it even comes with a video spider :)

steveoracle replied on January 7th, 2008

great barre chord lesson, they're still hard but the lesson rocks!!!!

Brad.Henecke replied on October 6th, 2007

Glad to see you got the finger exercise .your forth finger is always the hardest finger to control .Anything you can do to make it stronger will help .don't forget to stretch your fingers before playing .you don't want to pull a mussel .keep rocking !

bator82 replied on October 5th, 2007

LOL, nevermind. I got further into the lesson and saw that trill exercise.

bator82 replied on September 29th, 2007

Hey Brad, great lesson set so far. I'm learning with ease, but I seem to be having problems on the G chord to get my 4th finger in the right position accurately during the progressions. Is there an exercise you use to increase pinky strength and flexibility? Thanks in advance.

mdreynolds replied on September 20th, 2007

Thanks, Let me know.

Brad.Henecke replied on September 16th, 2007

let me check that one out i'll have to see what i was playing .