Barres in every key

A barre chord is an open E or A shape moved up the neck, with your first finger across the strings as a new nut. With two shapes and the note names on the E and A strings, you can play any major or minor chord.

E shape: root on the low E string. F at the 1st fret, G at the 3rd, A at the 5th. A shape: root on the A string. B♭ at the 1st, B at the 2nd, C at the 3rd. Minor barres work the same way from Em and Am: F♯m, Cm, Bm.