Bar Chords and Power Chords


HoxMan
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HoxMan
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09/23/2000 3:53 am
I have a fairly simple question (I think). What are Bar Chords, and what are Power Chords?
# 1
Willdridge
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Willdridge
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09/23/2000 5:47 am
Basically, a barre chord is when you use one or more fingers to barre the several strings at once. For example, the F Major chord shape is a barre chord, because you use your first finger to barre all the string, (although you don't actually play three of the six strings fretted with your first finger)

Sorry to treat you like a fool, but just in case you don't know what an F Major Chord looks like

-1---
-1---
-2---
-3---
-3---
-1---

just like that....
Now, a Power Chord is even easier....All it is is the Root of a scale, and the 5th, with and optional octave root (same pitch, twelve notes higher). They're usually played with the root either on the 6th or 5th string....

G---------9-------7--
D--3--6---9---2---7--
A--3--6---7---2---5--
E--1--4-------0------

---F--G#--E---E---D--

You'll notice the shape stays the same, so they really are very, very simple....

Hope I've helped, not confussed you.

Don't worry too much about me, ignore me long enough and I'll go away.
# 2
HoxMan
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HoxMan
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09/23/2000 9:30 pm
So is there a Barre chord for D? and so on?

# 3
Jon68
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Jon68
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09/24/2000 1:51 am
The neat thing about bar chords is that you can easily play all the Major and Minor chords once you learn how. Fret an E chord using your middle, ring and pinky fingers. Now move your hand up up one fret and fret across all six strings on the first fret with your index finger - now you've made an F Major chord. Move your hand up another fret to make an F# Major Chord. Every time you move your hand up a fret, you create a Barre chord 1/2 step higher than the last.
So - a D Major chord is a Barre chord at the 10th fret.
You can make any of these a Minor chord by basing your chord on an E Minor - use your ring and pinky finger and Barre with your index finger.
You can do the same with an A Major or Minor Chord. Chord an A Major using only your ring finger - fret the 2nd, 3rd and 4th strings. Now move up one fret and use your index finger to Barre all six strings. Now you've made a Bb Chord. For a minor chord, fret the 2nd, 3rd and 4th strings with your middle, ring and pinky, then Barre with your index finger.
Barre chords take practice to play cleanly, but they are a staple of guitar that you have to learn.
# 4
HoxMan
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HoxMan
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09/24/2000 3:11 am
Thanks alot guys. This will REALLY help me now. Maybe now I can sound a little bit better.
# 5
BarryS
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BarryS
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09/24/2000 6:36 pm
Jon or Willdridge,

Thanks a lot, that's something I was wondering about too. Tell me this: Is that F Major chord the same as the F chord? The fingering is the same:

EADGBE
133211

But I had always thought it required a barre only on the bottom B and E strings, which is a bit more difficult. Are the two chords interchangeable?? I think I can learn the F Major version more easily than the other.
# 6
Willdridge
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Willdridge
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09/24/2000 7:31 pm
Yes, F is the same as F Major...I'm not too sure exactly what you meant but I think I have an idea...It's not really a case of being interchangable, just what ever you prefer to play...I play a full barre for example, my father will some times play only the top two string, e and B.
Now, Hoxman...Basically there are only really three chords on the guitar...E, A and D... So, if you start the root on the 4th string, it's the same as a D chord, but moved up however many...for example:-

-4--
-5--
-4--
-2--

would be an E chord, (The shape is the same, except it's been moved up a tone).

I'm sorry I'm not examplaining this too well, I'm in a bit of a rush...e-mail or post a reply if you still need help and I'll go in to better detail....

willdridge@hotmail.com (original, huh?)
Don't worry too much about me, ignore me long enough and I'll go away.
# 7

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