The E-shape barre (lesson 2) has the root on the 6th string. The A-shape barre puts the root on the 5th string. Two movable shapes, full neck coverage.
The diagram shows B major. Your index finger barres the A string at fret 2 (and lightly mutes the low E). Your ring finger (or barre your ring across) covers the D, G, B strings at fret 4.
Two ways to do this
- Three fingers: middle on D string fret 4, ring on G fret 4, pinky on B fret 4. Cleanest sound, hardest reach.
- One mini-barre: flatten your ring finger across D, G, B at fret 4. Easier reach, often buzzes the high B until you angle the finger correctly.
Why this matters
With the E-shape (lesson 2) and the A-shape, you now have movable shapes for every major chord on the guitar.| Root on 6th string | Root on 5th string |
| --- | --- |
| F at fret 1 (E-shape) | Bb at fret 1 (A-shape) |
| G at fret 3 | C at fret 3 |
| A at fret 5 | D at fret 5 |
| B at fret 7 | E at fret 7 |
Two shapes, twelve fret positions, every major chord. That is the entire game.
The 60 BPM drill
Same drill as F. Fret B. Strum on 1. Lift on 2. Re-fret on 3. Strum on 4. 10 minutes daily.
Bonus: minor barre chords
The minor versions are the same shapes with one note dropped (the third becomes a flat third). Once F major feels solid, try F minor by lifting your middle finger. Bm by adjusting the A-shape. Lesson 4 (CAGED) will show how these all fit together.Next: the CAGED system. The same chord lives in five places on the neck.