Barre Chords for Guitar

Barre chords (or bar chords) are moveable guitar chords that require the imdex finger to fret multiple strings to play the chord.

The diagrams below show how to play major and minor barre chords in standard tuning. The curved lines shown in the diagrams indicate the notes that are barred (fretted using one finger).

Major Barre Chord Forms

Root notes on 6th and 5th Strings

Major Barre Chord on 6th String
Major Barre Chord on 5th String

Guitar Tab example of a chord progression using Major Barre Chords

   G           C           D                       
e|-3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5-|
B|-3--3--3--3--5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-|
G|-4--4--4--4--5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-|
D|-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-|
A|-5--5--5--5--3--3--3--3--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5-|
E|-3--3--3--3-------------------------------------|

Minor Barre Chord Forms

Root notes on 6th and 5th Strings

Minor Barre Chord on 6th String
Minor Barre Chord on 5th String

The guitar tab below is a similar chord progression with a minor barre chord (Em) included. Notice how the use of minor chords give progressions a different sound and feel.

   G           C           Em          D           
e|-3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--7--7--7--7--5--5--5--5-|
B|-3--3--3--3--5--5--5--5--8--8--8--8--7--7--7--7-|
G|-4--4--4--4--5--5--5--5--9--9--9--9--7--7--7--7-|
D|-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--9--9--9--9--7--7--7--7-|
A|-5--5--5--5--3--3--3--3--7--7--7--7--5--5--5--5-|
E|-3--3--3--3-------------------------------------|

Barre Chords by Root Note

A
B
C
D
E
F
G