
Learn to play barre chords with precise technique rather than power, avoiding tension and finger strain while mastering the golden rule of barre chords.
Apply the golden rule: use precise technique with just enough pressure to play barre chords, rather than relying on lots of power.
Learn to use the crooked finger to fret barre chords, reducing the need for a ramrod straight bar. Compare crooked and straight bar techniques across five- and six-string shapes.
Master the crooked finger technique to improve barre chords by applying controlled pressure, keeping non-playing fingers relaxed, and gradually expanding from across individual strings to full six-string presses.
Learn to turn the A minor chord into a five-string barre shape, using a crooked index finger at the seventh fret, then move the shape up the neck.
Mute the low a string with index finger to keep bass clear, place pinkie on the g string tip to define minor tonality, and keep tight bar fingering.
Learn to simplify the a minor chord by muting the high a string with the index finger, then mute the high string and use the root note for barcode formula.
Correct common barre chord mistakes, including over pressing with the index finger and tense shoulders. Control non playing fingers and practice smooth in‑and‑out barre changes.
Master the staggered chord change by keeping fingers in place while others move, transfer the index to the bar, and add fingers 3 and 4 to form bar chords.
Explore tip seven for embellishing the A minor barre chord with extension ideas, hammer-on techniques, and varied finger work to add a darker, ambiguous tone.
This free mini course will help you improve your barre chords faster than ever!
If you have ever thought:
I can`t play barre chords!
Barre chords hurt my wrist/finger/arm, etc!
My barre chords sound buzzy and weak!
I can`t change between barre chords!
I don`t know which barre chords to use!
I don`t understand why I need them!
Barre chords are just too darn tough!
Then, you have come to the right place.
This course is the solution…
Barre chords are extremely tough when learned in the typical way
Most guitarists try barre chords at some point in their playing and find them very difficult. This often leads to a guitarist giving up on barre chords. They throw their arms up in the air in dismay and say…
“Barre chords are simply not for me, they are too hard“
This point hits many guitarists, and it did for me a long time ago.
It’s a real shame, as barre chords are essential to your playing.
Without them, you can be a good guitarist but you will never fulfil your potential.
Many songs you will want to play will be out of your reach and even the ones you can play often won’t quite sound right without the correct barre chord being used.
A lot of classic songs from the 60`s and 70`s use barre chords. More so than modern songs. (New music tends to be simpler and far less interesting.)
Without barre chords, you simply can NOT play these classic songs (and many more):
David Bowie – Space Oddity
Eric Clapton/Derek and The Dominoes – Layla
Eagles – Hotel California
Sinead O` Connor/Prince – Nothing Compares 2 U
The Who – Pinball Wizard
Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven
Echo and the Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
Classics IV/Dusty Springfield – Spooky
The Beatles – Something, Daytripper, Twist and Shout (the cool version with the bass riff)
The Cure – Boys Don`t Cry
The Commodores – Easy
Pearl Jam – Black
Milos – Spanish Romance
Amy Winehouse – Love Is A Losing Game
And 1000`s more…
Barre chords taught the conventional way are downright dangerous!
I’m not being dramatic when I say barre chords can be dangerous.
Barre chords are often taught and learned the wrong way.
That is, the guitarist uses bad technique and far too much force to try to play them. This causes pain in the fingers, wrist, and forearm and will tire the muscles out quickly at best and cause pain and possibly injury at worst.
If you keep doing something with bad technique and lots of pressure it will eventually take its toll.
This can be a strain in the muscles or tendons which can put you out of action with your guitar playing for weeks or even months.
It can cause you to spend a fortune on medical bills or rehabilitation and can affect your work and ultimately your income – if you rely on your hands in any way.
If you do practice barre chords or plan on it, be very, very careful about how you learn them as doing so the wrong way can cause injury and possibly long-term arthritis.
Barre chords can be brutal, but they don’t have to be as you will see…
If you have tried and failed with barre chords your belief as a guitarist will often be damaged.
The more effort you put in the worse this gets. You may even have ended up feeling like the infamous “World`s Angriest Guitarist”.
Don’t give up on barre chords if you have struggled before, instead try them like this…
Giving up on barre chords can destroy your confidence and belief in your guitar playing and doing so will stop you from learning the songs you want to and your long-term development as a guitarist will suffer.
It feels so good to be able to do master barre chords. You know there is no brick wall in your way to learning ANY song and your progress is not limited by anything.
Many guitarists learning later on in life lack the confidence to really learn barre chords
I teach and specialise in teaching the over 40`s how to play the guitar in the most enjoyable way possible. The truth is, older guitarists tend to learn a bit differently to younger students. They don`t necessarily learn slower, but they often lack a little more confidence.
Therefore, I make sure my methods of teaching are suitable for those learning later on in life.
I explain things clearly, in a step by step method, assuming nothing.
I also make sure the examples, songs and techniques are suitable to the songs and styles these students want to learn.
You will find the materials in this course are suitable for you and what you want to learn. There`s no Justin Beiber, heavy metal or complex jazz in this course.
This course features fingerpicked examples with audio and tab suitable for fingerstyle players but can be played with a pick - my methods are aimed at those looking to learn the classic songs from the 60`s and 70`s.
Remember, stop trying to play barre chords in the old school way of using brute force and power.
Instead, try this simple guide…