BARRE CHORDS
Barre chords are basically moveable open chords. We start with the open chords E major and E minor. These chords can be moved up and down the E string using our first finger as a barre. When we do this, we get to play every major and minor chord along the E string. Next we look at the open chords, A major and A minor. These chords can be moved up and down the A string using our first finger as a barre. Using both E-shaped and A-shaped barre chords, we can basically play any major or minor chord we like.
E minor
E major
A major
A minor
To begin learning barre chords we start by barring across 3 strings. Start at about the 12th fret and pick through the 3 strings as best you can. When you feel they sound good try the fret below and do the same thing. Keep following this process until you can do it on the 1st fret. When you can achieve this try 4 strings and so on until you can it with 6 strings. Finally, try your first barre chord the minor 7.
Once comfortable with the minor 7 barre chord, next try the full E minor shaped barre chord. Then the E major shaped barre chord. Then the A minor shaped, and then the A major shaped.
Minor E Shape
Major E Shape
Minor A Shape
Major A Shape
CHORDS OF A KEY MOVEABLE SHAPE
Above you can see one of the most useful major scale shapes that you can use to visualize the chords in a key. The square notes 1 4 5 represent the major chords and the 2 3 6 notes represent the minor chords. 1 Major 2 minor 3 minor 4 Major 5 Major 6 minor 7 minor 7 b5
NOTES FROM FRET 0 – 8
SONG PRACTICE
SONGS IN C & A minor
Train – Drops Of Jupiter chords
Johnny Cash – Walk The Line – Video & Chord Sheet
Amazing Grace – Video & Chord Sheet
George Ezra – Budapest – Video & Chord Sheet
One Direction – Steal My Girl – Chord Sheet
Fleetwood Mac – Dreams – Video
Leaving On A Jet Plane – Chord Sheet
Marry Poppins – Let’s Go Fly A Kite & Spoonful Of Sugar – Chord Sheet
Let It Be – The Beatles – Video & Chord Sheet
Magic – Rude – Video & Chord Sheet
Vance Joy – Riptide – Video & Chord Sheet
Anne Marie – 2002 – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
Harry Styles – Sign Of The Times – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
One Republic – Counting Stars – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
Passenger – Let Her Go – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
Cold Play – Yellow – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
Taylor Swift – Shake It Off – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
Sam Smith – Stay With Me – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
Meghan Trainor – Lips Are Moving – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
Train – Hey Soul Sister – Chord Sheet (Print Out)
SONGS IN G & E minor
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill – Video
John Legend – All Of Me – Video
Bob Marley – Redemption Song – Video
Shawn Mendes – Stitches – Video
James Arthur – Say You Wont Let Go – Video
Christy Moore – Lakes Of Pontchartrain
Christy Moore – Ride On – Video
The Dubliners – Black Velvet band
Paddy Reilly – Fields Of Athenry
Garth Brooks – If Tomorrow Never Comes
Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues
Adele – Someone Like You – Video
Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way – Video
Bob Dylan – Blowing In The Wind – Video
Jesse Colter – Storms Never last – Video
Khalid – Young Dumb & Broke – Chord Sheet
Shakira – Try Everything – Chord Sheet
The Jungle Book – The Bare Necessities – Video
The Jungle Book – I Wanna Be Like You
Garth Brooks – The River – Video
Meghan Trainor – All About That Bass – Video
The Lion King – The Circle Of Life
Lukas Graham – Seven Years Old
She’ll Be Coming ‘Round The Mountain
Waltzing Matilda Mary Poppins – Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
