A-shape barre chords are built on the open A major shape, with the root on the 5th string, so the fret of the bar tells you the chord: a bar at the 3rd fret is C major, at the 5th fret is D major, and at the 7th fret is E major. The minor shape drops the middle finger, so the 2nd string sounds the minor 3rd.
What are A-shape barre chords?
A-shape barre chords are built on the open A major shape, with the root on the 5th string, the A string, so the fret of the bar tells you the chord: a bar at the 3rd fret is C major, at the 5th fret is D major, and at the 7th fret is E major. The shape is the open A major chord, moved up the neck, with the index finger barring five strings at the root fret, and the other fingers forming the A shape behind the bar. The A shape is the second barre shape, and it is used for chords whose root is on the 5th string, which is where the E shape cannot reach. The A shape has two forms, major and minor, and the difference is one finger. In the major shape, the ring finger presses the 4th string two frets higher, the pinky presses the 3rd string two frets higher, and the middle finger presses the 2nd string two frets higher, which sounds the major 3rd. In the minor shape, the middle finger is not used, and the 2nd string is barred by the index finger, which sounds the minor 3rd, because the 2nd string at the bar fret is a minor 3rd above the root. The A major guitar chord and the A minor guitar chord are the open shapes the barres are built on.
How A-shape barre chords work
An A-shape barre chord works because the index finger bars five strings, from the 5th string to the 1st string, at the root fret, and the 6th string is not played, because it is not part of the chord. In the major shape, the notes are, from the 5th string to the 1st string, the root, the 5th, the root, the major 3rd, and the 5th. In the minor shape, the notes are the root, the 5th, the root, the minor 3rd, and the 5th. The root is on the 5th string, at the bar fret, and on the 3rd string, two frets higher, so the root is easy to find and the shape is easy to remember. The A shape is harder to finger than the E shape, because three fingers must fit into one fret, two frets higher than the bar, and the fingers are crowded. Some players use the ring finger to bar the 4th, 3rd and 2nd strings, instead of using three fingers, which is easier but less flexible. The ring finger bar must be bent back, so the 1st string is not muted, and the 1st string must ring cleanly, or the chord will be missing its 5th. The C major guitar chord is the A-shape major barre at the 3rd fret, and the C minor guitar chord is the A-shape minor barre at the 3rd fret.
Worked example — the A-shape chords at the 5th fret. Put the bar at the 5th fret, and the root is D, because the 5th string at the 5th fret sounds as D. The major shape is D major: the ring finger presses the 4th string at the 7th fret, the pinky presses the 3rd string at the 7th fret, and the middle finger presses the 2nd string at the 7th fret, and the notes are D, A, D, F#, A, from the 5th string to the 1st string, which are the root, the 5th, the root, the major 3rd and the 5th of D major. The minor shape is D minor: the middle finger is not used, and the notes are D, A, D, F, A, which are the root, the 5th, the root, the minor 3rd and the 5th of D minor. The key of D major lists the chords that D major belongs with.
How to practise A-shape barre chords
Practise A-shape barre chords by moving the shape up and down the neck, so the shape becomes a habit and the root becomes easy to find.
- Play an A-shape major barre at the 3rd fret, C major, and move it up to the 5th fret, D major, and then to the 7th fret, E major, naming each chord as you play it.
- Play an A-shape minor barre at the 2nd fret, B minor, and move it up to the 3rd fret, C minor, and then to the 5th fret, D minor, naming each chord as you play it.
- Practise changing from an A-shape major barre to an A-shape minor barre at the same fret, by lifting the middle finger, and listen for the 3rd changing from major to minor.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in G major with A-shape barres for C major and D major, and listen for the chords ringing cleanly.
- Use the fretboard note finder to find the root on the 5th string at any fret, and work out the A-shape chord at that fret.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting that the root is on the 5th string — The A shape has its root on the 5th string, at the bar fret, so the fret of the bar tells you the chord. If you forget the root, you will not know what chord you are playing, and the shape will be useless.
- Playing the 6th string — The A-shape barre does not use the 6th string, because it is not part of the chord, and playing it will sound the wrong note. Mute the 6th string with the tip of the index finger, or avoid strumming it.
- Using the middle finger in the minor shape — The A-shape minor barre does not use the middle finger, because the 2nd string is barred by the index finger, which sounds the minor 3rd. Using the middle finger will sound the major 3rd, and the chord will be major, not minor.
Quick reference
This table shows the A-shape barre chords at each fret, major and minor, so you can see how one shape moves up the neck and makes many chords. The root is on the 5th string, at the bar fret, and the fret tells you the chord, in both the major and the minor columns, and the 6th string is never played.
| Bar fret | A-shape major | A-shape minor |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd fret | B major | B minor |
| 3rd fret | C major | C minor |
| 5th fret | D major | D minor |
| 7th fret | E major | E minor |
| 8th fret | F major | F minor |
| 10th fret | G major | G minor |
| 12th fret | A major | A minor |
Use the table to find any A-shape barre chord: find the root on the 5th string, put the bar on that fret, and form the major or the minor shape behind it, muting the 6th string. When you can find any major or minor chord with the A shape without looking, you can play in any key, anywhere on the neck.
Frequently asked questions
What are A-shape barre chords?
A-shape barre chords are built on the open A major shape, with the root on the 5th string, so the fret of the bar tells you the chord: a bar at the 3rd fret is C major, at the 5th fret is D major, and at the 7th fret is E major.
How do I play an A-shape major barre chord?
Lay the index finger across five strings, from the 5th string to the 1st string, at the root fret, press the ring finger on the 4th string two frets higher, the pinky on the 3rd string two frets higher, and the middle finger on the 2nd string two frets higher, and the chord is major.
How do I play an A-shape minor barre chord?
Lay the index finger across five strings at the root fret, press the ring finger on the 4th string two frets higher, and the pinky on the 3rd string two frets higher, and do not use the middle finger, because the 2nd string is barred and sounds the minor 3rd.
Why is the A shape harder than the E shape?
Because three fingers must fit into one fret, two frets higher than the bar, and the fingers are crowded, and the 6th string must be muted, which adds another thing to remember. The E shape is more spread out, and it uses all six strings.
Can I use my ring finger to bar the A shape?
Yes. Some players use the ring finger to bar the 4th, 3rd and 2nd strings, instead of using three fingers, which is easier but less flexible, because the ring finger bar cannot make the minor shape or the seventh chords.