The A shape Bar Chords on the 5th String

Ready for the A shape Bars?

Still have your guitar "Notes Card"?

If not, go to Bar Chords page and find out why you'll need it. You need to know the notes of the 5th string for this one.

Also make sure you've read over the entire page.

Below is the open A major played with the third finger. You don't always need to hear that 6th string but it's a good habit to keep the 3rd finger off it so it can ring out cleanly when played. I know this one is kind of strange, but don't give up on it. It does get easier to play within a short time. 2 days at the most.

Again we drop the index finger to create the bar across the nut over strings 5, 4 ,3 ,2 ,1.

Now you have another 12 chords. Some are going to overlap like C major from the E shape on the 7th fret, from the bar chords page, and the A shape C major on the 3d fret that is pictured below.

This gives you a 3rd place, and 3rd way to play the same chord with 3 slightly different sounds.

The same thing works here as for the open E shapes. Example: Open A minor, open A7 and open A minor 7 can all be barred and moved.

BOOM!! Just like that you have 48 chords!! But, you only needed 4 shapes. And there are more you can do if you want to go crazy with it.

Try barring all the chord types in the free guitar chords chart below.

The A6 is already super easy.

What do you think happens when you bar and move it to the 3rd fret?

Got your notes card?

Look at the 5th string 3rd fret.

That's right, it becomes a C6. How easy!

Did we just discover another 12 chords? And another 12? And another 12? You are cranking on this stuff.

Ready for the D shape?

Return from A Shape Bar Chords to Bar Chords Page