Guitar Chords - Barre Chords

Barre chords (or bar chords) require one finger to fret all or a few of the strings on the neck to form a 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 arch in the diagrams indicate the notes that are barred by one finger.

Major Barre Chord Forms with root notes on the 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 with root notes on the 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.

     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

More Guitar Chords

Guitar Chord Charts by Root Note: C | D | E | F | G | A | B

Triads | Power Chords | Barre Chords | Open Chords | Seventh Chords

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e|--8----3--|
B|--8----4--|
G|--8----5--|
D|--10---5--|
A|--10---3--|
E|--8----x--|

Guitar Chord Tabs for open, barre, and triad chord forms.

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Major and Minor Arpeggios for guitar. Arpeggios are guitar chords played one note at a time.