4-Part Barre Chords

The diagrams below show fingerings for 4-part barre chords based on the CAGED patterns 4 (6th string root) and 2 (5th string root). Note that not every chord on this page uses a barre.

6th String Root (based on CAGED pattern 4)

Root 6 – dominant 7 (dom7, 7)

Root 6 – half-diminished (ø, m7b5)

5th String Root (based on CAGED pattern 2)

Root 5 – dominant 7 (dom7, 7)

Root 5 – half-diminished (ø, m7b5)

4th String Root (based on CAGED pattern 5)

Root 4 – dominant 7 (dom7, 7)

Root 4 – half-diminished (ø,m7b5)

What to Practice

Try these three practice examples:

Harmonized Major Scale

Remember there are seven notes (called degrees)  in a major scale. A chord can be built from any degree. Regardless of the key, every major scale has major 7 chords at positions 1 and 4, a dominant 7 chord at position 5, minor 7 chords at positions 2, 3, and 6, and a half-diminished (m7b5) chord at position 7. This can be written out using Roman numerals, where uppercase numerals represent major chords (any chord with a major 3rd) and lowercase numerals represent minor or diminished chords (any chord with a minor 3rd.) The small circle with a line through it next to chord vii means half–diminished.

I^Δ ii^-7 iii^-7 IV^Δ V⁷ vi^-7 vii^ø

• Using 6th string root chords only, play a harmonized G major scale:
  G^Δ A^-7 B^-7 C^Δ D⁷ E^-7 F#^-7b5 G^Δ
• Using 5th string root chords only, play a harmonized E major scale. Once the root note goes beyond fret 12 (the B⁷ chord), play the chords down an octave. (The B⁷ chord will have its root at fret 2 instead of fret 14.)
  Remember the pattern, regardless of key, is:
  I^Δ ii^-7 iii^-7 IV^Δ V⁷ vi^-7 vii^ø
• Using 4th string root chords only, play a harmonized B major scale. Once the root note goes beyond fret 12, play the chords down an octave. (The iii chord will have its root at fret 1 instead of fret 13.)

Classical Progression

Let’s take that classical progression from the 3-part barre chord practice session and add color by upgrading the 3-part chords to 4-part chords. The maj7 chords now make this sound jazzy. In fact, it’s starting to sound a lot like Still Got The Blues by Gary Moore (just in a different key). If you want to retain the classical feel, don’t use min7 or maj7 (leave them as plain old min and maj without the 7ths).

Fm7    | Bb7   | EbΔ   | AbΔ   |
D-7b5  | G7    | Cm7   | Edim  |
Fm7    | Bb7   | EbΔ   | AbΔ   |
D-7b5  | G7    | Cm7   | Cm7   ||

Sunny

Let’s upgrade the chords in Sunny from 3-part chords to 4-part chords. Try using the bonus maj7 and dom7 shapes shown in the downloadable PDF at the top of this page.

• Original Bobby Hebb version starting in Em
• Cover by Jamiroquai starting in Am

A-7    | C7      | FΔ     | E7       |
A-7    | C7      | FΔ     | E7       |
A-7    | G-7  C7 | FΔ     | Bb7      |
B-7b5  | E7      | A-7    | B-7b5 E7 || (repeat)