subject: Guitar For Kids -- Barre Chords: The Am And Em Forms [print this page] Greetings! Greetings!
Alrighty! We learned the movable A form and then E form in the last couple of lessons. We can now create bar chords using those forms, giving us 3 different ways to play the same chord:
1. The original chord in the open position
2. As a bar chord using the A form
3. As a bar chord using the E form
The same thing can be done with a couple of the minor chords -- Am and Em.
Look at the fingering for the Am chord:
[ 0 0 2 2 1 0 ]
It uses the 1st 3 fingers to form the chord. What I want you guys to do is use fingers 2, 3 and 4 to form this chord instead. This will free up your 1st finger.
Now sliiiiiide this form up 1 fret, and bar the 1st fret with your 1st finger to create a "new nut". Guess what chord this is? (Remember, you're using the chromatic scale here.)
A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A
A#m/Bbm
Slide the whole nut/chord up 1 more fret. What's this chord?
Bm
Bar 3rd fret = Cm
Bar 4th fret = C#m/Dbm
Bar 5th fret = Dm
Bar 6th fret = D#m/Ebm
Bar 7th fret = Em
etc.
Remember the cardinal rule! However many frets that you move the form up and down the neck of the guitar, that's how many frets that you have to move the nut. Otherwise.... the chord will sound caca...
Now let's look at the Em chord.
[ 0 2 2 0 0 0 ]
What we need to do here is finger this thing with our 3rd and 4th fingers. Put your 4th finger on the 4th string, and your 3rd finger on the 5th string.
Now move this baby up the neck 1 fret, and bar the 1st string. What's the chord?
Fm
Move this whole contraption up 1 more fret and you have...
F#m/Gbm
Bar 3rd fret = Gm
Bar 4th fret = G#m/Abm
Bar 5th fret = Am
Bar 6th fret = A#m/Bbm
Bar 7th fret = Bm
Bar 8th fret = Cm
etc.
You need to practice both of these forms separately AND together.
Now you have 3 different ways (voicings) to play minor chords:
1. The original chord in the open position
2. As a bar chord using the Am form
3. As a bar chord using the Em form
Memorize where all of these chords are.
Practice, practice, practice. Did I say practice?
Professor Bruno Noteworthy
by: Professor Bruno Noteworthy: Toon Music Professor
