Learning guitar chords for the first time will often involve practicing chords with open strings. This means fretting only some of the strings and leaving others unfretted. This can be seen in simple chords such as A major, A minor, C major, D major, D minor, E minor, E major and G major. However, the guitar teacher may explain that in order to learn the full repertoire of guitar chords, including B major, B minor, F major and F minor, students must learn how to play all strings in closed position. Such chords are known as “barre chords,” or, "bar chords."
Barre Chords for Beginners
To begin with, the guitar teacher may show students the correct technique for playing barre chords. This involves using the index finger to fret all strings across a particular fret marker, whilst the other fingers fret selected strings at other frets. The following barre chord technique will help:
- The index finger must be straight and resting in line with the fret marker
- Avoid resting the creases or the joints of the fingers upon the strings to avoid soreness
- Use sufficient pressure upon the fret marker to create a clear sound
- When shifting between barre chords, the thumb must also slide up and down the back of the guitar neck with the hand
Practicing the Guitar Barre Chord
When the students have learned the correct technique for fretting guitar strings in barre position, the teacher may recap a previous lesson on how to fret a simple guitar chord, such as E minor. Students may practice fretting this chord shape whilst resting the index finger over the other strings, one fret further down, to produce the barre chord.
Students may retain this chord shape in barred position whilst moving the fretting hand up and down the fretboard to produce other chords. Resting the index finger over the first fret marker whilst fretting the E minor chord shape will produce F minor; again, moving this chord shape to the third fret, whilst retaining the E minor chord shape, G minor will be produced.
Guitar Music Lesson on Chord Shapes
If all students are confident with fretting simple barre chords, the students may have a go at fretting A major and E major chord shapes in barre position.
Students will discover that G major chord will be produced if the barred chord is fretted at the third fret marker whilst retaining the same chord shape as E major. This chord shape can be moved up and down the fretboard to produce further chords.
Guitar Exercise on Barre Chords
Once guitar students are confident with producing simple guitar chords with open strings, the guitar teacher may deliver a more challenging guitar lesson on how to fret barre chords. A barre chord is one that involves fretting all six guitar strings with the index finger. The other fingers may fret different chord shapes as instructed.
The simplest chord shape, E minor will produce F minor when the barre chord is fretted at the first fret marker. Guitar students may practice slightly more complex chord shapes, such as E major and E major in barred position by practising it at different fret markers. Many chords can be produced by moving the same chord shape up and down the fretboard. Once guitar students are confident with practising barre chords, they may progress to ever more complex chords.
Rachel Shirley - I have written and illustrated several art instruction books entitled Oil Paintings from your Garden and Oil Paintings from the Landscape ...
