Home › Chords / Rhythm › Barre Chord Exercises

Effective Barre Chord Exercises

This page will provide you with some barre chord exercises, with backing tracks, to supplement the guitar barre chords lesson and help to further build your finger strength with barre chords.

One of the main obstacles guitarists face with barre chords is the strength and stamina required in your fingers to play them cleanly and continuously. This lesson will help you to develop your stamina and muscle memory for playing those awkward chord shapes.

Of course, I won't be able to cover every possible chord combination, but what I'll do is provide you with some exercises that use a good range of barre chord fingerings, challenging you to change between different shapes up and down the neck.

So, follow the sequential chord diagrams below to create the progression. Suggested fingerings are provided, with the yellow bar representing your barred finger, just like in the lessons before.

You can either stream or download the backing tracks provided.

Tip: the jam tracks are at a set speed, so it might be useful at first to start off slow using a metronome, and gradually speed up (I recommend increments of 10 BPM) until you're confident you can play to the speed of the tracks.

Have fun!

Barre Chord Exercise #1

Chord Sequence

Backing Track

1. E Shape - F Major (1st fret)

2. E Shape - A minor (5th fret)

3. A Shape - D minor (5th fret)

4. A Shape - C♯maj7 (4th fret)

5. A Shape - C7sus4 (3rd fret)

6. A Shape - C7 (3rd fret)

7. E Shape - G minor (3rd fret)

8. A Shape - C7 (3rd fret)

...then repeat!

Your fingers will no doubt ache a bit or cramp up after two plays or even just one play through this progression. Shake off, stretch and continue.

Barre Chord Exercise #2

Chord Sequence

Backing Track

1. C Shape - Fmaj9 (8th fret)

2. A Shape - Dm7 (5th fret)

3. E Shape - Am7 (5th fret)

4. E Shape - Gm9 (3rd fret)

5. A/C Shape - C9sus4 (3rd fret)

6. C Shape - E♭9 (6th fret)

Barre Chord Exercise #3

Chord Sequence

Backing Track

1. A Shape - C♯sus2 (4th fret)

2. D Shape - Eadd6 (2nd fret)

3. E Shape - F♯ Major (2nd fret)

4. E Shape - A Major (5th fret)

5. A Shape - C♯ Major (4th fret)

6. C Shape - E♭m11 (6th fret)

7. C Shape - Emaj7 (7th fret)

8. E Shape - A Major (5th fret)

Work on these exercises every day, or as often as you can, and try and come up with your own barre chord changes. The more awkward the fingering, the better! Constantly challenge yourself and develop that muscle memory.

Did This Help You?

Please consider donating to fretjam and support the free lessons...

❱ Learn how you can support fretjam here

Stay Updated & Learn More

Subscribe for updates and extras.

Plus, grab your free Uncommon Chords book and get personal help from me when you need it.

❱ Subscribe here

Share Your Thoughts...

Where Next?

◄ More Guitar Chord Lessons

◄ More Rhythm Guitar Lessons

Barre Chord Relationships ►