Mastering Guitar Barre Chords

A Beginner’s Guide to Playing Like a Pro

Welcome to the world of guitar, where the journey from strumming basic chords to mastering guitar barre chords can be both thrilling and challenging. If you’ve been curious about how to tackle these versatile chords, you’re in the right place! In this guide, we’ll explore the E type and A type barre chords, essential tools in your guitar toolkit. Get ready to strum your way to musical mastery!

The Low E String – Your Roadmap to E Type Barre Chords:

First things first, let’s start with the low E string (the 6th string). This string is your roadmap to understanding E type barre chords. Remember, each fret on the guitar represents a half step. As you move up the neck, each fret increases the pitch by a half step.

Fun fact: The musical alphabet is quirky! Not all notes have a sharp or flat between them. There’s no sharp or flat between E and F, and B and C. This exception is crucial for finding your way around the fretboard.

Once you’ve got the hang of naming the notes on the low E string, you’re ready to form your E type barre chords. Place your index finger across all six strings, and use the other fingers to form the E major or E minor shape. The note under your index finger on the low E string gives the chord its name and is highlighted in red in the diagram below to help remind you. How cool is that?

The A String – Unlocking A Type Barre Chords:

Next, let’s conquer the A string (the 5th string). The same rule applies here – every note has a sharp or flat between them, except for E and F, and B and C. Knowing the notes on the A string is your key to mastering A type barre chords.

To play an A type barre chord, barre your index finger across the strings starting from the A string, and use other fingers to form the A major or A minor shape. The note where your index finger lies on the A string names the chord and is highlighted in red in the diagram below to help remind you.

Adding Some Flavor with 7th Chords

Once you’re comfortable with major and minor barre chords, let’s add some flavor with dominant 7th and major 7th chords.

For E type barre chords, simply lift your pinky to turn it into a dominant 7th chord. For a major 7th, reposition your fingers to play the 4th string on the 1st fret. Voila!

For A type barre chords, leave the 3rd string open for a dominant 7th sound. To make it a major 7th, press down on the 1st fret of the 3rd string.

Conclusion

With these skills, you can play countless songs without even needing a capo! Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be playing barre chords with ease.

Ready to expand your guitar skills? Sign up for music lessons here. Don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more tips and tricks. Explore and enjoy more fun reads at our blog. Keep strumming and smiling! 😊