Learning Guitar: Why should I learn barre chords?

So you’re a beginner guitar player and have learned all your open position chords, and are looking to learn some barre chords. Maybe you’ve tried in the past and failed, but this time you’re going to learn how to play them.

So why should you learn barre chords? Simply put, barre chords will allow you to take the same chord position, and just move it up and down the fretboard to make new chords. This is powerful knowledge to have when learning guitar.

For example, you want to play an A# Major chord, but you don’t know the chord. If you know how to play the Major barre chord with the Root note on the E string,(see below) then simply take the same shape and move it to the 6th fret, which is an A# note. That’s it. Now you will be able to move that barre chord shape and move it up and down the neck to form many different chords. It all depends on what note you are barring.

You now need to memorize all the notes on the Low E String. If you do, you will be able to play any chord within seconds! Think of how fast you will start playing new chords. After you have done this, memorize the notes on the A String, and now you will know how to play barre chords with the root note on 2 different strings. This is awesome!

If you fail to see the significance of this, reread this blog or contact me. You need to learn this to continue to move forward with your guitar playing.

So how do you play these barre chords? Well, below is how to play a Major barre chord with the root on the E string. The 5 on the right tells you that it is to be played on the 5th fret, which is an A note, thus an A chord.

major barre chord

This chord is used in many popular songs including Stairway to Heaven, All Along the Watchtower, Ramblin Man, and many more.

If you would like more in depth information on how to play Barre Chords or beginner guitar, please check out my ebook Guitar Method Beginner Book 1.

John W Tuggle
John W Tuggle

I love teaching the blues and have created numerous training courses and lessons to learn how to play like BB King, Clapton, Duane Allman, and more. Get Started Now

8 Comments

  1. Once learned, barre chords give beginners a relatively easy way to advance through chord progressions. Much easier than open chord changes, which many newbies have a tough time with. Of course I use them a lot on my electric, but on my acoustic guitar I’ve never been good at getting a full tone out of barre chords.

  2. I’m still in the stage of learning the cords and how to strum. I need to find a place that can teach me proper strumming as well as everything else. I’m trying to teach myself but am finding i’m running into a brick wall with certain parts. How to properly strum while i’m learning the cords and proper finger placement too. Anywhere that can give me step by step instructions on those things first?

    • http://www.justinguitar.com

      i started out 2-3 months ago and just finished the beginner lessons, it has helped me a lot and also interested me in learning more about music and guitar theory.
      Check it out, i’m sure it’ll help you a lot!

  3. Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you penning this post and also the rest of the site is also
    really good.

  4. Yeah, barre chords can be a bit tricky to learn in the very beginning. Especially on the acoustic. They require much hand strength. I’d definitely start them out on an electric, being that it is easier to hold the strings down. Then once that’s accomplished, over on to the acoustic. Be a much easier transition.

  5. Can’t you do the same thing with the power chord shape? Just wondering, ’cause barre chords are really difficult and the power chord shape is much easier. (I’m a beginner so don’t judge too harshly)

    • You can but you won’t be able to have and kind of quality such as major or minor as power chords are only 5th chords. They are neither major or minor. Gotta learn the barre chords if you have fully functioning hands.

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