January 2018

Barre chords (or bar chords) require one finger to fret most or all of the strings to play the guitar chord. The index finger is usually used to do this and enables the chord to be moved up and down the neck.

The diagrams below will show you how to play major and minor barre chords on a guitar in standard tuning. The curved lines shown in the diagrams indicate the notes that are fretted using one finger.

Major Barre Chord Forms with root notes on the 6th and 5th Strings

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 with root notes on the 6th and 5th Strings

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 Chord Chart

A quick reference for Major and Minor Barre Chords

C Major Barre Chords

C on 6th String

C on 5th String

C Minor Barre Chords

Cm on 6th String

Cm on 5th String

D Major Barre Chords

D on 6th String

D on 5th String

D Minor Barre Chords

Dm on 6th String

Dm on 5th String

E Major Barre Chords

E on 6th String

E on 5th String

E Minor Barre Chords

Em on 6th String

Em on 5th String

F Major Barre Chords

F on 6th String

F on 5th String

F Minor Barre Chords

Fm on 6th String

Fm on 5th String

G Major Barre Chords

G on 6th String

G on 5th String

G Minor Barre Chords

Gm on 6th String

Gm on 5th String

A Major Barre Chords

A on 6th String

A on 5th String

A Minor Barre Chords

Am on 6th String

Am on 5th String

B Major Barre Chords

B on 6th String

B on 5th String

B Minor Barre Chords

Bm on 6th String

Bm on 5th String