A-shape barre chords

The A-shape barre chord is rooted on the 5th string. Together with the E-shape it lets you play any major or minor chord in two places on the neck. This lesson also shows that some changes keep the barre in place.

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

• Form the A-shape major and minor barre chords.
• Name an A-shape chord from the fret of its root on the 5th string.
• Change between E-shape and A-shape chords at the same fret.

The A-shape barre chord comes from the open A major chord and is rooted on the 5th string. The index finger barres the top five strings, and the other fingers form the A shape two frets higher up the neck.

Because the root is on the 5th string, you name the chord from that string: fret 2 is B, 3 is C, 5 is D, 7 is E, 8 is F, 10 is G.

Having both the E-shape and the A-shape means you can play any major or minor chord in two places. You can pick the place that is closest to the previous chord.

There is also a useful shortcut. An E-shape chord and an A-shape chord at the same fret share the barre. F♯ minor (E-shape at fret 2) and B minor (A-shape at fret 2) have the same index finger placement. You change only the other fingers. The same is true of G (E-shape, fret 3) and C (A-shape, fret 3).

B minor (A-shape at fret 2).

1. Lay the index finger across the top five strings at fret 2.
2. Put the ring finger on the D string, fret 4, and the pinky on the G string, fret 4.
3. Put the middle finger on the B string, fret 3.
4. Strum from the A string. Check each string.

One-finger major shortcut. For B major, many people lay the ring finger flat across the D, G and B strings at fret 4. It only works if the finger is flat enough to avoid muting the high e. Try it and see.

Same barre, two shapes. Play F♯m (E-shape, fret 2), then change to Bm. The index finger doesn't move. Only the other three fingers and the low E string change.

Do these in order. Each one is small. Tick the ones you have practised.

• 1.Find the A-shape

  5 min

  1. Barre the five top strings at fret 2 (not the low E string).
  2. Add the ring finger on the D string, fret 4. Then add the pinky on the G string, fret 4 and middle on B string fret 3: this is B minor.
  3. For B major, try one finger flat across the D, G and B strings at fret 4.
  4. Check each string.

  You have it when

  • You can play B minor with the top five strings clear.
  I practised this one

• 2.Same barre, two shapes

  5 min · 50 → 70 BPM

  1. Play F♯ minor (E-shape, fret 2).
  2. Without moving the index finger, change to B minor (A-shape, fret 2).
  3. Four beats per chord at 50 BPM, then two beats.

  You have it when

  • The barre stays in place and the change is clean.
  I practised this one

• 3.Name the root

  3 min

  1. The 5th string: fret 1 is B♭, 2 is B, 3 is C, 5 is D, 7 is E, 8 is F, 10 is G.
  2. Say the A-shape major chord at each of those frets.
  3. Then say the minor version.

  You have it when

  • You can name the A-shape chord at frets 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 10 without looking.
  I practised this one

Start at 50 BPM with four beats per chord. A good target is 70 BPM with two beats per chord. The A-shape is usually harder than the E-shape: take your time.

• Cramped fingers on frets 4 and 3. Try the one-finger version for major (ring finger flat across D, G and B).
• Playing the low E string. The A-shape is rooted on the 5th string. Mute the low E with the index finger tip or just avoid it.
• Getting stuck on the barre quality. Go back to 'Barre only' at fret 5 and rebuild there.

Playing the same chord in two places lets you choose the fingering that suits the song. In a key like B minor or C major, A-shapes are the most practical way to get all the chords close together.

Try it in: Stand By Me.

Short version (10 minutes)

Alternate F♯m (E-shape) and Bm (A-shape) at fret 2 for four minutes.

Standard version (about 30 minutes)

Do all three exercises, then play C (A-shape at fret 3) and G (E-shape at fret 3) in alternation.

• A-shape: rooted on the 5th string.
• Frets 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 give B, C, D, E, F, G.
• E-shape and A-shape chords at the same fret share the barre.
• The one-finger version helps with the major shape.

You are ready to move on when you can honestly say:

• I can play B minor (A-shape) cleanly.
• I can name an A-shape chord from the fret of its root on the 5th string.
• I can change between F♯m and Bm without lifting the index finger.