Abhinav Sonkar's Blog » Guitar Lessons and Tutorials

Mastering Barre Chords – Become An Intermediate Guitar Player

Abhinav — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 16:17:05 +0000

Finally, after a lot of time and many requests, I have finally come up with a barre chords lesson. This is one of the most important lessons here on this blog. Before getting into details, lets clear for whom this lesson is intended for.

If you are absolutely and surely comfortable with below points:

Playing Basic Open Chords.
Shifting between Open Chords without the need of looking at the fret board.
Have been practicing guitar for at least 8-12 months.

If you think that you are ready with all the above things, then continue reading!

Barre chords is the key thing to playing variety of chords. Once you master the barre chords, you will be awakened to a new vista of possibilities on guitar. There will be very few songs which you won’t be able to play after learning barre chords.

But of course, it is not so easy to master. You will have to practice a lot (A LOT) with practically no results initially. But your persistence will definitely pay off and in a big way!

An important concept to understand as a requisite to learning barre chords is the Root Note. Check out this lesson if you haven’t already done so.

Let’s delve into the barre chords !

Types of Barre Chords

Barre chords are formed using two basic shapes (E shape and A shape) and their variations.

6th String Root (E shape)

These barre chords have the root note on the 6th string. They are called the E shape chords, since they resemble the open E chord. Knowing the CAGED system will help here!

As you can see in the image on the left, the root note is on the 6th string. The fingers 2,3 and 4 form the open E chord shape, hence the name.

The barring of the fret is achieved using the index finger. The index finger will press all the strings which is effectively the nut in the open chords.

Let’s remove the 2nd finger from the above chord to get to the minor version…

The Minor Chord version

As shown in the image, we have lifted off the 2nd finger on the 3rd string.

The important thing here is to ensure that the 3rd string open note should not get muted when you hold the chord. Adjust your barred index finger accordingly to be able to play the minor note.

Now let’s check out the 7th versions!

The Major 7th version

As you can see, instead of the 2nd finger, we have lifted the little finger (4th). This is the major 7th barre chord. So if the root note is on the 5th fret of 6th string (A note), it would be the A major 7th barre chord (Amaj7).

Easy isn’t it? The minor 7th version is even more simple. Check it out!

The Minor 7th version

In the minor 7th barre chords, we lift off both 2nd and 4th finger.

Remember, the index finger is still barring the fret as before… and the 3rd finger is holding the the 5th string.

5th String Root A Shape Major Chords

The basics is all same except the root note now is on the 5th string instead of the 6th string. While playing 5th root barre chords, remember to mute the 6th string using the tip of your index finger.

As you can see in the image on the left, the 3rd finger is holding 2,3,4 strings in a shape which is similar to open A chord. Hence the name A major shape barre chords.

Playing this chord requires hell lot of practice, since it includes simultaneous barring of index finger and the 3rd finger. It will be almost impossible to play the 1st string as the the 3rd finger will mute it. Don’t worry it’s fine!

Ensure that the 6th string is not being played. Mute it using the tip of the first finger.

The Minor version

The minor version is nothing but the E major shape we saw earlier but moved down by a string.

Make sure the 6th string is not ringing.

The Major 7th version

In the minor version above, just lift the 2nd finger and move your 4th finger one string below to the 2nd string. Now you will be playing the major 7th barre chords of 5th string roots.

Shouldn’t be difficult with a bit of practice.

The Minor 7th version

Instead of lifting the 2nd finger, lift the little finger as shown in the image. This will give the minor 7th barre chords for 5th string roots.

These are all the types of barre chords that you need to know to be able to play any song. The root note that you are playing is the name of the relevant barre chord.

The beauty of barre chords is that you can move the left hand up or down the frets to form new chords. For e.g., if the root note is moved to the 1st fret on the 6th string (F note) and keep the same E chord shape, we will get the F major barre chord. Now move it two frets down to the 3rd fret, you will get the G major barre chord. The one in between them (2nd fret) would be the F# major barre chord and so on…

Tips on Practicing Barre Chords

Barre chords needs lots of practice. Just remember that and don’t give up midway.
The index finger which is barring the fret should be rolled over to its side to about 30-40 degrees and not flat.
When playing minor barre chords, the 2nd finger is free. It can be used to assist the first finger in barring the chord.
The muscle between first finger and thumb needs to become strong… practice !
The left hand thumb should be pressing the back of the fret-board.
The index finger should not go too much beyond the sixth fret above the fret board. Give the pressure from the tip to the bottom.
While holding the chord, play each note sequentially to identify whether any string is getting muted. In early phase of practicing, muting will be a problem.
Ensure that you are muting the 6th string in 5th string root barre chords with the tip of your index finger else it will sound very bad.
Be patient. It will take time but you will get better eventually.

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

Mastering Barre Chords – Become An Intermediate Guitar Player

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Developing Your Ear – The Art of Listening !!

abhimanjrekar — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:23:56 +0000

Photo by Mohammed Nairooz

Hello all !!

I would like to stress on the art of listening especially for new guitarists..It is very likely that due to todays technology age, we have the required information at our finger tips…a few searches and we have the chords….It is good but i would also suggest the newbies to simultaneously train their ears for finding the chords of the song….

Here are a few pointers that will help you improve your ear:

Listen to the song a number of times first until you can imagine the tune and the music even without listening!
Once you get the feel of the song, find which key the song is in. The key of the song is usually the FIRST chord that is played in the song.
Using the chord progressions, you can find the chords of that song. Once done, play along with the song for a number of times.
Practicing the strumming along with the song will develop your skills for the future rather than directly seeing from the net….try different strumming patterns and see the best which suits the song.
This exercise will be very difficult in the start but gradually with practice it will be much more easy…

Friends, it is important to understand listening for developing yourself as a guitarist…If u can read music through your heart, then getting the rest will be very easy for you ..:-)…So tune in now and start strumming…!

This post is written by our regular contributor Abhishek Manjrekar, who has been playing guitar for over 6 years and is part of an Hindi POP band, Tatva.

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

Developing Your Ear – The Art of Listening !!

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The CAGED System of Guitar – A Shape – Part 5

Abhinav — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:03:34 +0000

The next shape in the CAGED System is another common and useful shape which you have been playing since a long time.

Recognizing the Shape

Let’s take out the relevant notations from the fretboard on the left to deduce the shape.

Note that we are still using the F, A and C notes which are forming a very useful shape. Also the root note is still on the 5th fret as it was for the previous shape (C shape) but now the notes are higher (further up) on the guitar neck.

Here Comes the Barre!

Let’s add the barre once again. Imagine the black strip as the nut… do you recognize the shape now?

It’s an open A chord! Simple!

Remember again, it is still the F chord, but the parent shape of the chord from which it is formed is the common open A chord shape.

This is one of the most common chord shapes after the E shape

You can play this chord either by using your first three fingers on each string or by barring the three strings using your first finger – which ever suits you.

Let’s move on to the last note of the CAGED shape – G Shape.

This post is inspired from the article on CAGED lessons by Justin Sandercoe. Head over to justinguitar.com for lot’s more awesome guitar lessons!

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

The CAGED System of Guitar – A Shape – Part 5

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The CAGED System of Guitar – C Shape – Part 4

Abhinav — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 03:45:04 +0000

With two shapes already taken care of, its time to move on to the next shape.

Recognizing the Shape

Once again, we will focus on a new set of notations:

Can you see where these notations have been picked up from the image on the left?

Many of the notes have been marked red. As I told previously, it is not necessary to play each note of a chord as long as you are playing each note once.

Adding the Barre

After adding the barre on the first fret in the image above, and ignoring the red marked notes, the shape of the symbol becomes prominent:

As you must have noticed, the remaining notes are forming a shape which we all know as the C shape! This is the third shape of the CAGED System. Notice that the root note is present on the fifth string (the F note).

This chord can be played by barring the fret with the index finger and using the other fingers in the normal way to play the C chord.

The Importance of the Red Notes

If you have observed, another way to play open C chord is to use your 3rd finger to play the note on the sixth string and your 4th finger on the root note. Now you know why it was played that way. It was to include the relevant note (marked RED) which makes the chord sound fuller.

So now we have three shapes in the bag. It is time to move on to the next shape, the A shape.

This post is inspired from the article on CAGED lessons by Justin Sandercoe. Head over to justinguitar.com for lot’s more awesome guitar lessons!

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

The CAGED System of Guitar – C Shape – Part 4

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The CAGED System of Guitar – D Shape – Part 3

Abhinav — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:45:16 +0000

Now that you have understood the E shape (Part 2), it is time to check out a new shape.

Recognizing the Shape

Just as we extracted a group of triad notations to get the E shape, we will extract a new set of notations to get our new shape:

Again, make sure you see where the above notations have been picked up from the fret board on the left!

I have marked one of the notes in red because we do not have to worry about that note. More on this later. The important point to remember is that to play a chord, you only need to play one set of the triad notations. It is not necessary to play all the triad notations. After all we have only five fingers!

Adding the Barre

Now, to highlight the shape more prominently, I have put a barre on the first fret.

So, ignore the barre part and the note marked red. Do you recognize the remaining notations? Yeah, it’s our D major chord.

The chord is still the F major chord, but the parent chord through which it has been formed is the D major chord.

To play this chord, you can use your index finger to barre the fret and place the remaining fingers the normal way for the D major chord.

So we have gotten over 2 shapes. 3 more to go!

This post is inspired from the article on CAGED lessons by Justin Sandercoe. Head over to justinguitar.com for lot’s more awesome guitar lessons!

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

The CAGED System of Guitar – D Shape – Part 3

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The CAGED System of Guitar – E Shape – Part 2

Abhinav — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:30:15 +0000

The first shape that we will try to understand is the E shape. Make sure you have read Part 1 of this series otherwise the following information might not make any sense.

Recognizing the Shape

Now let us look at the group of notes at the top of the fret in the fret board on the left side. I have extracted those notes as shown below:

Can you see where this notes have come from? I hope you do!

Those of you who are aware of barre chords will recognize the above set of notes as the F Barre Chord!

Adding the Barre

Now let’s add the barre on some of the notes above as shown below:

Adding the barre means we are pressing all the strings at that fret to make it a bar. By default, barring is always present at the nut. When we press all the strings with our index finger (or with a bar), we are effectively shifting the nut position to that particular fret.

But the important thing to notice is that the remaining notes are nothing but our regular E major chord! Ah! So you finally found it!

Something to Remember

The whole group of notations above ( F Barre chord ) has the root note on the sixth string, first fret which is the F note. If you remember, every shape which does not depend on open strings can be moved over the fret board. So if we move the root note to the third fret, we will get the G Major Barre chord which will have the SAME E Shape. The shape remains the same, but different root notes give different chords.

We will discuss the barre chords in details in the relevant lesson.

Next in CAGED System is the D shape – Part 3.

This post is inspired from the article on CAGED lessons by Justin Sandercoe. Head over to justinguitar.com for lot’s more awesome guitar lessons!

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

The CAGED System of Guitar – E Shape – Part 2

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The Concept of CAGED System of Guitar – Part 1

Abhinav — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:18:40 +0000

Photo by Tomás Rotger

If you have ever delved into Music Theory at any depth, you must have come across the term, CAGED System. Many novice guitarists find it tough to grasp the concept of CAGED System.

This concept is purely theoretical but has huge practical implications, if implemented correctly. A lot of your questions and doubts will get cleared once you understand the CAGED System.

This is a series of posts which will take up all the shapes in the CAGED System.

The Concept of CAGED System

The CAGED System is derived from the combination of notes on the guitar neck with the notes of the chords. Once again, let’s take an example to understand this better.

Let’s first find the notes

Let’s take the example of F major chord. In the key of F major, the triad notes will be F, A and C. (See below)

The F major scale is
F G A Bb C D E F
1 – 3 – 5 – - -

So the triad notes of F major is F A C

As you can see in the image on the left, all the notes of F major scale have been indicated. The triad notes are highlighted so focus on them. Notice that every note can be found on every string.

It would be a good exercise to find out each note yourself and mark the triad notes. Do it for G major scale as a home-work!

What we are going to do next is try to identify various shapes among the notations. The triad notations will help us in identifying the shapes.

These shapes constitute the CAGED System.

Now that you have understood the concept of the CAGED System, it is time to move on to the first shape, the E Shape (Part 2).

This post is inspired from the article on CAGED lessons by Justin Sandercoe. Head over to justinguitar.com for lot’s more awesome guitar lessons!

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

The Concept of CAGED System of Guitar – Part 1

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Feel the Blues and Jazz with Dominant 7th chords

Abhinav — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:09:12 +0000

The Dominant 7th Chords – sounds very heavy, isn’t it? Do not worry, it is not.

Dominant 7th chords are just some simple modifications of their parent chords. It is very easy to play with little practice.

There is a lot of confusion amongst guitarists with these chords. This is because of the multiple ways to denote these chords. Often the word ‘dominant’ is skipped so that the chords are called just 7th. Unless otherwise specified, when a guitarists talks of 7th chords, you can be sure they mean the Dominant 7th Chords.

How are Dominant 7th Chords formed?

A Dominant 7th Chord is very easy to form. In simple words, you just have to add the flatted 7th note to the major scale of parent chord.

Didn’t understand it?

Ok, let’s take an example. Consider the C major chord. Any major chord is formed by combining the root note, the third note and the fifth note. So the dominant 7th chord of C major (denoted as C7) will be a combination of the root note, the third note, the fifth note and the flatted 7th note (see below).

The C major scale is:
C D E F G A B
1 – 3 – 5 – b7

So, C7 = C E G Bb

Now look at the C7 chord below. Focus on the third fret of the third string. That is the Bb note. That is the note added to the regular C major chord.

Let’s take another example.

Consider the G7 chord. First we will write the scale of the G major chord. Then find all the relevant notes.

The G major scale is:
G A B C D E F#
1 – 3 – 5 – b7

So, G7 = G B D F

Now look at the G7 chord below. The first fret on the first string is the F note which is added to the regular G chord.

Isn’t it easy now?! Figure out the rest of the chords below yourself.

Where are the Dominant 7th Chords played?

Dominant 7th chords are mostly found in jazz and blues song. They bring a dissonance sound to the music. Hence they often lead strongly to another chord, especially the root note chord.

Some Dominant 7th Chords You Should Know

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

Feel the Blues and Jazz with Dominant 7th chords

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6 Tips on Changing Guitar Chords Effectively

Abhinav — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:05:07 +0000

Photo by clumsy_jim

So, you are able to play the Basic Open Chords very well. Not just the easy ones like D, E or C chord but even the tougher ones like G and F chord too.

But what about moving from one chord to another? Suddenly you stop your right hand, focus on the left hand, place the fingers on the required frets and before you can strum your newly formed chord, the rhythm has already gone for a toss!

Frustrating, isn’t it?

To play songs nicely, you not only need to be able to play the chords but also change them effectively without breaking the strumming action and the flow of the right hand. This can seem to be quite difficult initially. But as with many things related to guitar, regular practice does wonders.

I remember how frustrating it was to play the chords but not able to quickly change to another. But I can’t remember when I actually got comfortable doing it. I just kept at it, playing the chords and trying to change from one to another until it so happened that the brain recognized the finger shapes that were required for various chords and transferred the whole process into the subconscious mind.

The bottom-line is: PRACTICE. If you give up on the way, playing the guitar would always be a distant dream. But if you persist and perspire, you are sure to witness miracles! (Aww.. that was poetic!)

Let me give you some tips which will ensure you are on the right path and speed up the learning process.

1. Improve Finger Dexterity

It is crucial that your left hand remains loose and free instead of hard and stiff whatever the chord position be. A loose hand will be more adaptable than a stiff one.

2. Correct Hand Position

The left thumb should be supporting the back of the guitar neck instead of rising over the top of the guitar reaching the strings. This helps in stretching your fingers for the Open G and F chords and the critical barre chords.

3. Try all Permutations and Combinations

Make sure you are trying all possible combinations of changing the open chords. Start with the easy ones like D to G chord or Emin to C chord. When you are comfortable with these, move on to tougher ones like A to G chord or the ultimate one: G to F chord!

4. Right Way to Practice

This is the way you should go about practicing it: Play a chord four times a bar, then change to another chord and play it four times a bar again, then come back to the previous chord. Do this till you are so comfortable that you can change the chords without seeing your left hand! Of course, it will take time, so be patient.

5. Avoid Barre Chords at the Start

When you are starting out, don’t try to change to barre chords or back. That would be a big demotivator! First get used to the basic open chords, then go ahead with the barre chords.

6. Practice, Practice and More Practice!

All the tips above are useless if you don’t practice enough. By enough, I don’t mean 5 hours non-stop, hell no! 30-60 minutes a day is more than sufficient. Just keep yourself motivated by whatever inspires you and keep at it. You will get there in the end.

Go, grab the guitar and start chording right now!

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

6 Tips on Changing Guitar Chords Effectively

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Understanding Root Note – Your Ticket to Intermediate Guitar Techniques

Abhinav — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:52:37 +0000

This short lesson is completely dedicated to the concept of Root Note. It is very important to understand this concept as it will help you in learning the intermediate guitar techniques including power chords and barre chords.

What is Root Note?

Root Note is nothing but a bass sound which forms the chord. Since it is a bass sound, naturally it will be either on the sixth string or the fifth string.

The image on the left shows some of the root notes. The leftmost line represents the thickest (lowest pitch) string while the rightmost line represents the thinnest (highest pitch) string.

Each chord has a root note. It is the root chord which gives the chord its name.

For e.g. to play the G chord, the note on the third fret in the sixth string will be included. It is this note that gives the chord a distinct sound which is uniquely recognizable. How the power and barre chord are formed from the root note will be covered in the next lesson.

For now, just remember the various root notes and its locations on the neck.

Another thing to notice is that all the notes can be reached by just sliding the left hand up and down the neck of the guitar. Thus if you know the root notes, you can go from one chord to another just by moving along the guitar neck without changing the shape. So, you no longer have to remember lots of shapes for different chords.

Root Notes don’t apply to Basic Open Chords, or in other words, chords with open strings.

This is just a concept which you need to remember for now. It will be useful when we will try to understand power chords and later on, the swiss-army knife of guitar, the barre chords.

Things to remember:

Each chord has a root note which gives the chord its name.
Root notes are found on the fifth and sixth string of the guitar.
Chords having open strings are not built upon root notes.
Root notes are the basic concept upon which power chords and barre chords are built.

If you don’t understand everything in this post, don’t worry, the picture will get clearer once you understand power/barre chords.

You can read the chords in correct formatting on the website. Click the link below to view the post on the blog.

Understanding Root Note – Your Ticket to Intermediate Guitar Techniques