E-shape barre chords are built on the open E major shape, with the root on the 6th string, so the fret of the bar tells you the chord: a bar at the 1st fret is F major, at the 3rd fret is G major, and at the 5th fret is A major. The minor shape drops the middle finger, so the 3rd string sounds the minor 3rd.
What are E-shape barre chords?
E-shape barre chords are built on the open E major shape, with the root on the 6th string, the low E string, so the fret of the bar tells you the chord: a bar at the 1st fret is F major, at the 3rd fret is G major, and at the 5th fret is A major. The shape is the open E major chord, moved up the neck, with the index finger barring all six strings at the root fret, and the other fingers forming the E shape behind the bar. The E shape is the most useful barre shape, because it has its root on the 6th string, which is the easiest string to find, and it makes any major or minor chord, in any key. The E shape has two forms, major and minor, and the difference is one finger. In the major shape, the ring finger presses the 5th string two frets higher, the pinky presses the 4th string two frets higher, and the middle finger presses the 3rd string one fret higher, which sounds the major 3rd. In the minor shape, the middle finger is not used, and the 3rd string is barred by the index finger, which sounds the minor 3rd, because the 3rd string at the bar fret is a minor 3rd above the root. The E major guitar chord and the E minor guitar chord are the open shapes the barres are built on.
How E-shape barre chords work
An E-shape barre chord works because the index finger replaces the nut, shortening all six strings at once, and the other fingers add the notes of the chord. In the major shape, the notes are, from the low E string to the high E string, the root, the 5th, the root, the major 3rd, the 5th and the root. In the minor shape, the notes are the root, the 5th, the root, the minor 3rd, the 5th and the root. The root is on the 6th string, at the bar fret, and on the 4th string, two frets higher, and on the 1st string, at the bar fret, so the root is easy to find and the shape is easy to remember. The E shape also makes seventh chords, by changing one finger. An E-shape dominant 7th chord drops the pinky, so the 4th string is barred by the index finger, which sounds the flat 7th, because the 4th string at the bar fret is a minor 7th above the root. An E-shape major 7th chord lifts the middle finger and presses the 3rd string with the pinky, which sounds the major 7th. The F major guitar chord is the E-shape major barre at the 1st fret, and the F minor guitar chord is the E-shape minor barre at the 1st fret.
Worked example — the E-shape chords at the 5th fret. Put the bar at the 5th fret, and the root is A, because the 6th string at the 5th fret sounds as A. The major shape is A major: the ring finger presses the 5th string at the 7th fret, the pinky presses the 4th string at the 7th fret, and the middle finger presses the 3rd string at the 6th fret, and the notes are A, E, A, C#, E, A, which are the root, the 5th, the root, the major 3rd, the 5th and the root of A major. The minor shape is A minor: the middle finger is not used, and the notes are A, E, A, C, E, A, which are the root, the 5th, the root, the minor 3rd, the 5th and the root of A minor. The key of A major lists the chords that A major belongs with.
How to practise E-shape barre chords
Practise E-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 E-shape major barre at the 1st fret, F major, and move it up to the 3rd fret, G major, and then to the 5th fret, A major, naming each chord as you play it.
- Play an E-shape minor barre at the 1st fret, F minor, and move it up to the 3rd fret, G minor, and then to the 5th fret, A minor, naming each chord as you play it.
- Practise changing from an E-shape major barre to an E-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 C major with E-shape barres for F major and G major, and listen for the chords ringing cleanly.
- Use the fretboard note finder to find the root on the 6th string at any fret, and work out the E-shape chord at that fret.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting that the root is on the 6th string — The E shape has its root on the 6th 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.
- Using the middle finger in the minor shape — The E-shape minor barre does not use the middle finger, because the 3rd 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.
- Moving the shape without moving the bar — The bar and the shape move together, as one unit, up and down the neck. If you move the other fingers without moving the bar, the chord will be wrong, because the root will be in the wrong place.
Quick reference
This table shows the E-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 6th string, at the bar fret, and the fret tells you the chord, in both the major and the minor columns.
| Bar fret | E-shape major | E-shape minor |
|---|---|---|
| 1st fret | F major | F minor |
| 3rd fret | G major | G minor |
| 5th fret | A major | A minor |
| 7th fret | B major | B minor |
| 8th fret | C major | C minor |
| 10th fret | D major | D minor |
| 12th fret | E major | E minor |
Use the table to find any E-shape barre chord: find the root on the 6th string, put the bar on that fret, and form the major or the minor shape behind it. When you can find any major or minor chord with the E shape without looking, you can play in any key, anywhere on the neck.
Frequently asked questions
What are E-shape barre chords?
E-shape barre chords are built on the open E major shape, with the root on the 6th string, so the fret of the bar tells you the chord: a bar at the 1st fret is F major, at the 3rd fret is G major, and at the 5th fret is A major.
How do I play an E-shape major barre chord?
Lay the index finger across all six strings at the root fret, press the ring finger on the 5th string two frets higher, the pinky on the 4th string two frets higher, and the middle finger on the 3rd string one fret higher, and the chord is major.
How do I play an E-shape minor barre chord?
Lay the index finger across all six strings at the root fret, press the ring finger on the 5th string two frets higher, and the pinky on the 4th string two frets higher, and do not use the middle finger, because the 3rd string is barred and sounds the minor 3rd.
Can E-shape barres make seventh chords?
Yes. An E-shape dominant 7th chord drops the pinky, so the 4th string is barred and sounds the flat 7th, and an E-shape major 7th chord lifts the middle finger and presses the 3rd string with the pinky, which sounds the major 7th.
What is the difference between E-shape and A-shape barre chords?
The E shape has its root on the 6th string, and the A shape has its root on the 5th string, so the E shape is used for chords whose root is on the 6th string, and the A shape is used for chords whose root is on the 5th string.