Barre Chord

A chord shape that requires you to lay a single finger (often the index finger) across your fretboard

Sam Blakelock avatar
Written by Sam Blakelock
Updated over a week ago

Open-position chords are immobile because they utilize open-string notes, which can’t be moved up and down the fretboard like fretted notes can. In order to create a moveable open-position chord shape, we turn to barre chords.

By laying your first finger across the fretboard like a "bar", your finger acts as a capo, covering any strings that would otherwise play open-string notes. Barre chord shapes are based on open shapes like E and A but add the barre to compensate for the open strings. With a barre shape, you can move the chord up and down the guitar neck.

Link to Beginner guitar Vol 2.

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