Barre Chords: E-Shape & A-Shape
One finger, laid flat across the neck, replaces the nut — and suddenly every open chord you know becomes movable to any key.
The core idea
A barre chord uses your index finger to press down several strings at once across a single fret, acting like a movable nut. Behind that barre, your other three fingers form a familiar open-chord shape. Slide the whole thing up or down the neck and you get a different chord — same shape, new root note.
E-shape barre chords
Take the open E major shape and lay your index finger flat across all six strings at the fret you want. Your remaining three fingers fill in the rest of the E shape just above the barre. Move it to the 3rd fret and you get G major; to the 5th fret and you get A major — same shape, different root.
A-shape barre chords
Take the open A major shape and barre your index finger across the top five strings at the target fret (the low E string is usually muted or skipped). Your ring finger often flattens across the remaining three strings behind the barre. Move it to the 3rd fret and you get C major; to the 5th fret and you get D major.
Common questions
What is a barre chord?
A chord where one finger (usually the index) presses multiple strings across a single fret, replacing the nut so the shape can move anywhere on the neck.
What is the E-shape barre chord?
The open E major (or minor) shape moved up the neck, with the index finger barring all six strings at the fret that names the chord.
What is the A-shape barre chord?
The open A major (or minor) shape moved up the neck, with the index finger barring the top five strings while the low E string is muted or skipped.
Why are barre chords hard for beginners?
They need one finger to press several strings evenly and firmly enough to avoid buzzing, which takes hand strength that builds gradually with practice.
See every barre shape on a live fretboard
Melody Monkey shows any barre chord's shape and root note as you slide it up and down a virtual neck.
Open the chord & scale library →See it in a real song
Still stuck? Ask Your Personal Music Teacher about Barre Chords: E-Shape & A-Shape →