Barre chords are notorious for being a major hurdle for guitar beginners. Almost every guitarist encounters some level of difficulty when first trying to incorporate barre chords into their playing. While they can be challenging to master initially, barre chords are absolutely essential. It’s safe to say that a significant portion of popular songs – easily over 50% – utilize barre chords in some form.
Having guided numerous students in developing solid barre chord skills over the years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of correct hand positioning. Often, simply by observing a student’s hand position before they even strum a barre chord, I can predict whether it will ring out clearly or sound like a muffled buzz due to muted or buzzing strings.
Successfully playing barre chords involves more than just knowing where to place your fingers. Achieving the ideal curvature of your fingers, proper thumb placement, and understanding the subtle nuances of positioning the barring finger are crucial elements that can make all the difference.
In this article, we will explore the essential hand positioning techniques that provide the leverage needed to produce a clean, resonant sound from your barre chords.
The Foundation: Thumb Position
Let’s begin by examining the correct thumb position for fretting a barre chord on the guitar. The thumb acts as the anchor upon which everything else depends. Proper thumb placement provides the necessary leverage to press down firmly on each string and allows your fingers to spread adequately as required.
The optimal thumb position remains consistent for most common barre chords. Here’s an illustration of the ideal thumb position for any barre chord:
Notice that my thumb is straight, pointing upwards, and applying pressure in the center of the guitar neck. This is the desired thumb position when fretting a barre chord. This correct thumb placement is crucial for playing Guitar Chords Otherside of simple open chords.
Examples of less effective thumb positions are shown below:
Incorrect thumb position for barre chords: Thumb placed too high on the neck.
Incorrect thumb position for barre chords: Thumb positioned too far to the side of the neck.
In both of these suboptimal thumb placements, you’ll struggle to spread your fingers sufficiently or generate enough downward pressure on the strings to achieve the finger positioning described later in this guide.
Returning to proper thumb positioning, let’s highlight another key aspect. Here’s a top-down view of my hand:
Correct hand position for F barre chord, showing thumb placement opposite the middle finger.
Observe that my thumb is positioned directly opposite my second (middle) finger on the other side of the neck. Positioning your thumb too far to the left or right can induce strain and tension throughout your hand, making it significantly harder to fret the chord cleanly and play guitar chords otherside of easier shapes.
Index Finger Mastery: The Barre
Next, let’s delve into positioning your index (first) finger when using it to create the barre in a chord. The precise position of this finger will vary slightly depending on the specific type of barre chord you are playing. Let’s first examine its position for a Bm chord (which is also applicable to any minor barre chord rooted on the 5th string):
Front view of hand position for Bm barre chord.
Notice that my index finger isn’t perfectly flat. Since I only need to apply pressure to the 1st and 5th strings for this particular chord shape, I ensure sufficient pressure on those strings while relaxing slightly on the others. While I could maintain a rigid, flat finger, doing so would introduce unnecessary strain and effort when fretting this chord.
Also, observe that I’m applying pressure to the 1st string with the knuckle area of my finger. This firmer part of the finger makes it easier to exert the required pressure on the 1st string for clear guitar chords otherside of open positions.
Now, let’s examine a very similar-looking chord, the F# chord (this principle also applies to any major barre chord rooted on the 6th string):
Front view of hand position for F# barre chord.
The position of the index finger barre is almost identical to that of the Bm chord. All aspects are the same, except now it’s barring across all six strings. Both the 1st and 2nd strings are being fretted using the firm knuckle portion of the finger.
The index finger’s position differs slightly for certain other barre chords. Here are images illustrating an F#m chord (left), an F#7 chord (middle), and a B7 chord (right):
For all three of these chords, the barred index finger needs to fret more notes. Consequently, I must keep the finger significantly straighter and flatter compared to the Bm or F# chord. While there’s still some bend in the lower joint of the index finger, the upper (distal) joint is completely flat. This flatness is crucial for ensuring clarity from all the notes fretted by the index finger, especially when playing complex guitar chords otherside of basic shapes.
There’s one more vital detail regarding index finger barre positioning. To illustrate this, here’s a top-down view of the same F# chord:
Top-down view of hand position for F# barre chord, showing index finger roll.
Notice that my index finger is slightly rolled towards its left side. This slight roll offers two key advantages:
- It’s a more ergonomically sound position for the finger, reducing strain in the rest of the hand, which is crucial for playing guitar chords otherside for extended periods.
- The side of the finger is slightly harder, making it easier to apply adequate pressure to the strings.
You should aim to roll your finger slightly to the side like this for any barre chord that requires a barre with the index finger.
Optimizing Fingers 2, 3, and 4
Now, let’s discuss a couple of important aspects concerning the other fingers in your hand when playing these same chords. Let’s revisit the top-down view of the F# chord:
Top-down view of hand position for F# barre chord, highlighting finger spread.
Observe how the other fingers are fanned out. You can see my second (middle) finger leaning ever so slightly to its left, while the third and fourth fingers lean slightly to their right. This symmetry in hand positioning promotes good leverage and sufficient downward pressure on the strings, essential for clear guitar chords otherside of fundamental shapes. Correct thumb placement is vital for achieving this, as it enables the fingers to spread out sufficiently to adopt this position.
Now, let’s look at the same chord from the side:
Side view of hand position for F# barre chord, showing finger curvature.
Notice how fingers 2, 3, and 4 are all significantly curled. There’s considerable bend in both joints of each finger. This curvature helps these fingers avoid accidentally touching other strings and allows them to easily apply good leverage to the strings they are intended to fret, contributing to the clarity of guitar chords otherside of basic open chords.
Mastering the Ring Finger Barre
Certain barre chords, particularly major barre chords rooted on the 5th string, require barring with the 3rd (ring) finger. These chords can present a unique challenge for beginners as the 3rd finger tends to be weaker and less controlled.
Here’s a picture of me playing a B chord:
Front view of hand position for B major barre chord.
The placement of the 3rd finger within the fret is crucial. You want the segment of the finger that is laying flat to be positioned close to, and running parallel with, the fret it’s supposed to be behind. This minimizes the pressure needed to produce clear notes and is key for smoothly transitioning between guitar chords otherside of simpler forms.
Another detail to note in this chord shape is that the 1st finger doesn’t need to be completely flat. Since its only role is to fret the bass note of the chord, it can be slightly curved.
Now, let’s view the same chord from the side:
Side view of hand position for B major barre chord, showing ring finger curvature.
Observe the bending in both joints of the 3rd finger. While the lower, larger joint is bent slightly in the typical direction of joint flexion, the upper (distal) joint is actually bent backward a little. This finger position ensures downward pressure on the strings, but also distributes that pressure evenly across the three strings it needs to hold down, vital for playing complex guitar chords otherside of basic shapes cleanly.
