Progress Better By Practicing Guitar Progressions

What we have covered up until now are the basics of playing the guitar. It's very important that you master first the basics before jumping in to advanced guitar lessons and techniques because you simply won't go anywhere if your skill set isn't complete. It's like going to a war without enough ammunition or proper training. The chance of survival is very slim.

Baby soldier crying. Photo Credits

You don't want something like that to happen, don't you?

Easy A: Playing Minor, Dominant 7th, Minor 7th, and Major 7th Barre Chords Based on A

Would you agree with me if I'll say that playing the barre-A chord form is EASY?

A scene from the movie Easy A starring Emma Stone. Photo Credits

In this post, I'd like to talk about the rest of the A-based barre chord forms. I guess, by now, you don't need those technical explanations anymore. Anyway, if you find something hard to understand, feel free to skim through my previous posts.

So, I'll just go ahead and give you the chord fingerings, alright?

And of course, I've provided some progressions too. Practice it before proceeding to the succeeding chord forms.

Okay, here they are...

Playing All 12 Major Chords Using The B-chord Form

A display of acoustic guitars. Photo Credits

Knowing how to play B-chord as a barre chord allows you to play every major chord by simply moving up the neck. You simply need to know the name of the note that you are playing on its root string, the 5th string, to determine the name of the chord that you are playing.

For your quick reference about the notes of the 5th string on specific frets, see the table below:

Playing Major Barre Chords Based on A

In the subsequent posts, I will be introducing to you another major group of barre chords, the A-based barre chords. The A-based major barre chord looks like an open A chord but with different fingering. This group of barre chords takes its letter name from the fret on the 5th string (A-String) at which you place your barre.

How to finger the A-based major barre chord

1. Finger an open A chord, but instead of using the normal fingering of 1-2-3, use 2-3-4.

Playing E-based Minor 7th Barre Chords

Photo Credits

Minor 7th chords have a softer, jazzier, and more complex sound than its chord siblings do. You can form a minor 7th E-based barre chord by simply combining the actions you take to change major to minor and major to dominant 7th. In short, you only need to lift two fingers off a major barre chord and get a minor 7th chord.

Follow these steps:

Playing E-based Dominant 7th Barre Chords

In contrast to major chords, dominant 7th chords or plain 7th chords have a sharper and a more complex sound. Also, switching to a barre dominant 7th chord from a major barre chord is a no-brainer - you just need to lift a single finger.

Playing dominant 7th barre chords is EASY! Photo Credits

Simply follow these steps to play an F7 chord:

Playing E-based Minor Barre Chords

Now it's time to add other chord qualities into your repertoire. Playing a minor, a dominant 7th, or a minor 7th in its barre form is very easy just like playing a major barre. Soon enough, as you continue to practice, you'll notice that everything gets a lot easier.

Minor chords

The following simple steps describe how to play the Fm (F-minor) barre chord:

1. Play an F major barre chord. See my previous about playing major barre chords based on E and learn how to play an F Major chord.