Barre Chords: E-Shape and A-Shape

What Are Barre Chords?

A barre chord (sometimes spelled bar chord) is formed by pressing your index finger flat across all six strings, effectively replacing the guitar's nut. This turns any open chord shape into a movable shape that can be played at any fret.

The two most common barre chord shapes are the E-shape and the A-shape:

• E-shape barre — based on the open E major chord. Your index finger barres across all strings while your remaining fingers form the E chord shape. The root note sits on the 6th string (low E), so moving the shape to fret 1 gives you F, fret 3 gives you G, fret 5 gives you A, and so on.

• A-shape barre — based on the open A major chord. The index finger barres across all strings while the remaining fingers form the A chord shape. The root note is on the 5th string, so playing at fret 3 gives you C, fret 5 gives you D, etc.

Barre chords are the gateway to playing in any key. Once you can play these two shapes cleanly, you can play every major chord on the guitar without a capo.

F Major — E-Shape Barre at Fret 1

Study the F major chord using the E-shape barre at fret 1. Notice how this is simply the open E major shape moved up one fret with the index finger replacing the nut.

Play G Major as an E-Shape Barre

• Place your index finger flat across all six strings at fret 3
• Form the E major shape with your remaining fingers behind the barre
• Strum all six strings and check that every note rings clearly
• If any strings buzz, adjust your index finger pressure and position — try rolling slightly onto the side of the finger
• Practice moving the barre shape from G (fret 3) to A (fret 5) and back, keeping the shape intact