We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is a Barre Chord?

By Judith Smith Sullivan
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 6,902
Share

A barre chord, or bar chord, is a specific type of fingering designed to change the key of a guitar chord without changing the chord pattern. It is made by placing the second, third, and fourth fingers of the left hand in the desired chord pattern while placing the index finger firmly across the fret directly below the fingering. The index finger changes the length of the strings, which affects the pitch of the notes. Using this technique, the same chord shape can be used to play a greater variety of chords.

The effect of a barre chord is often compared to a capo. A capo is a device which is affixed to the neck of the guitar, changing the length, and therefore pitch, of the string. The root note of the string becomes the fret where the capo is secured. For instance, if a capo is affixed to the neck at the third fret, the root is G on the lowest string. This allows the guitarist to transpose the key of a song without changing the chord pattern.

Acting like a capo, the index finger presses all or some of the strings down to change the root note. It requires a great deal of finger strength to hold the strings down properly. If the pressure is uneven or inconsistent, the sound will be out of pitch and distorted or might not even sound at all. It takes practice to master a barre chord.

Guitarists use barre chords because they can play multiple keys without changing their pattern. For instance, the most commonly used chord patterns are E major and A major, and placing the E major chord three frets higher and barring on the third fret will create a G major chord. This is a short cut, saving the time it takes to learn the open string, or non-barre, pattern for the chord. The barre chord, though versatile, is not a panacea. It cannot be used to play every single chord, but is simply one method of creating a chord.

Popular music, beginning with the blues in the 1910s and 1920s, and continuing into the influential music of the 1950s, used simple chord progressions of three or four chords. Barre chords are often used in this type of music. Not only do they make key changes easy, but they often allow beginning musicians to play entire songs using only one fingering pattern.

Rock music of later decades began to use the "power chord". Also a type of barre chord, the power chord is fretted off with the index finger, but without a full chord pattern. Only the root and fifth of the chord is fingered. It is typically played with an amplifier or special effects pedal to create distortion, making the guitar sound fuzzy or gravelly, like a television that isn't picking up the correct channel.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-a-barre-chord.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.