Barre Chord 5 Day Challenge
Day 5 – ‘A’ Shape Exam
Try this guitar challenge
STEP 1: Watch the video to learn the bite-sized piece of music
STEP 2: Click the “PLAY” tab below the video to play along with Tony until you can do it on your own.
Like this lesson? Join Tony’s Acoustic Challenge to keep going!
Responses
You’ve been invited to experience Tony’s Acoustic Challenge
Stop Dabbling, Start Playing
GET STARTED
Watch the free class to discover the fun guitar learning method used by over 35,000 students to learn guitar through nostalgic songs from the 60s and 70s.
Responses
-
very helpful, highly recommend to beginners or just to strengthen anyone hands . ty
-
Throughout the exercise, I played with clear notes. Smail win! Great comfortable with Barre Chords.
-
Exercise makes you more conscious of the pressure on the barre finger at the string you are strumming. I am getting more confident in using the barre chord through practice of these exercises. Thank you Tony.
-
Second time through the Barre Chord Challenge. It was just as painful as the first time around.
-
This is the only barre chord shape I can constantly make.
-
I gave myself an A on the E shaped (F chord) exam, but even grading on a curve, I couldn’t manage much more than a C on the A shaped (B chord).
-
to easy for me
-
Great exercise to build strength. In lieu of ringer finger to fret the 4th barre chords I use my pinky finger, which is very strong. I guess everything is possible, as long the sound comes clear and soundy, am I correct?
-
much easier to fret than the F barre chord. But I still need to use the pinky to fret the 4th. Old hands I guess.
-
Practice needed but sounding better as each try goes by.
-
This chord and the F chord have been challenges. Still trying to get them to sound consistently clear. I will get there. Just may take a bit more patience and training.
-
I can play the A pretty easily using my pinky finger but it is a bear using my ring finger. Is there a reason to not get used to using my pinky? Like maybe save it for a different stroke?? Just curious.
-
I can get A string to sound good but then D-G-B don’t or I can get D-G-B to sound OK but then A won’t ring clear! Oh well, a little more work!!
-
Good Exercise Tone, I passed the A barre chord exam! Thanks that was fun (More fun than bagpipes!)
-
This is a painful exercise for me, because of my age, ability and arthritis. I showed up, accepted the challenge, and tried… I’ll call that a small win.
-
I put in 9 sessions on the two barre chords, about 15 minutes each session. I’ve been trying to learn the F barre for the past year. I’m 77. I’m wondering if I wouldn’t be better off to just use the F chord cheats in place of the barre. Goals?
I was a runner for ten years and at one point decided to train for the marathon. After a 20 mile training run, I said, “nope, not for me.” I ran until I needed a hip replacement. Just saying.
-
Great exercise for “Whiskey Rock a Roller”!
-
Bless you for this! I hate F & B chords. Something just shifted though. And … wrist and forearm are on fire.
-
This was the most difficult barre chord for me. I’ll keep at it.
-
It has taken me a while to get all of these.but I think I can mark this complete. And move on to better barr chords.
-
Maybe its just me, I’m not picking this up. I know it has something to do with only playing Blues and Folk I think. I’m not a fan of this style of music. Maybe if there were different Music Genre challenges in the mix it will give me some excitement, until than it is what it is I guess!
-
Wrong thread, today’s lesson brought me to this skill.
Barre Chords – not easy for sure! -
Because I learned to play classical spanish guitar first, this was a breeze. The only thing I changed was alternating fingers on the high strings, that’s what we do differently. I’m digging the Mississippi Hill Country blues though!
-
Wow my wrist is killing me.. need to keep practicing this one!
-
it’s funny to me that i find this fun
-
Wow. This was indeed a challenge. Amazing coincidence is that I have been working on learning Melissa by the Almond Brothers. Today, When I go to the Bridge, there it was. The exact same progression of the A Bar Chord to Bsus to C#m to Bsus back to A. Indeed. this made it much easier for me to do. Thanks Toney.
-
I can do it, but it is much easier if I bar with my pinky. I can even get the high E string.
-
fingers are getting stringer but i am NOT relaxed playing this chord
and my arm hurts like hell during and afterwards -
B minor- No problem.
B maj, I have a really hard time with barring those 3 strings.
However, I do a modification and it sounds just fine. There are 3 that I have found…. I either make the A shape on the fourth fret with the pinky on the high e string
OR
the A shape on the fourth fret and bar the first 4 string on the second fret with my index
OR (the easiest & my favorite)
index on high E of second fret, middle finger on B string of third fret, and on the fourth fret; the ring on D and pinky on G. -
It is easier for me to bar with my pinkie, sounds better.
-
OMG! My pinkie isn’t nearly that strong!
-
-
Ouch a definite wrist work out! Sounding good though.
Congratulations, !
Challenge complete
Come back tomorrow for your next challenge

very helpful, highly recommend to beginners or just to strengthen anyone hands . ty
Throughout the exercise, I played with clear notes. Smail win! Great comfortable with Barre Chords.
Exercise makes you more conscious of the pressure on the barre finger at the string you are strumming. I am getting more confident in using the barre chord through practice of these exercises. Thank you Tony.
Second time through the Barre Chord Challenge. It was just as painful as the first time around.
This is the only barre chord shape I can constantly make.
I gave myself an A on the E shaped (F chord) exam, but even grading on a curve, I couldn’t manage much more than a C on the A shaped (B chord).
to easy for me
Great exercise to build strength. In lieu of ringer finger to fret the 4th barre chords I use my pinky finger, which is very strong. I guess everything is possible, as long the sound comes clear and soundy, am I correct?
much easier to fret than the F barre chord. But I still need to use the pinky to fret the 4th. Old hands I guess.
Practice needed but sounding better as each try goes by.
This chord and the F chord have been challenges. Still trying to get them to sound consistently clear. I will get there. Just may take a bit more patience and training.
I can play the A pretty easily using my pinky finger but it is a bear using my ring finger. Is there a reason to not get used to using my pinky? Like maybe save it for a different stroke?? Just curious.
I can get A string to sound good but then D-G-B don’t or I can get D-G-B to sound OK but then A won’t ring clear! Oh well, a little more work!!
Good Exercise Tone, I passed the A barre chord exam! Thanks that was fun (More fun than bagpipes!)
This is a painful exercise for me, because of my age, ability and arthritis. I showed up, accepted the challenge, and tried… I’ll call that a small win.
I put in 9 sessions on the two barre chords, about 15 minutes each session. I’ve been trying to learn the F barre for the past year. I’m 77. I’m wondering if I wouldn’t be better off to just use the F chord cheats in place of the barre. Goals?
I was a runner for ten years and at one point decided to train for the marathon. After a 20 mile training run, I said, “nope, not for me.” I ran until I needed a hip replacement. Just saying.
Great exercise for “Whiskey Rock a Roller”!
Bless you for this! I hate F & B chords. Something just shifted though. And … wrist and forearm are on fire.
This was the most difficult barre chord for me. I’ll keep at it.
It has taken me a while to get all of these.but I think I can mark this complete. And move on to better barr chords.
Maybe its just me, I’m not picking this up. I know it has something to do with only playing Blues and Folk I think. I’m not a fan of this style of music. Maybe if there were different Music Genre challenges in the mix it will give me some excitement, until than it is what it is I guess!
Wrong thread, today’s lesson brought me to this skill.
Barre Chords – not easy for sure!
Because I learned to play classical spanish guitar first, this was a breeze. The only thing I changed was alternating fingers on the high strings, that’s what we do differently. I’m digging the Mississippi Hill Country blues though!
Wow my wrist is killing me.. need to keep practicing this one!
it’s funny to me that i find this fun
Wow. This was indeed a challenge. Amazing coincidence is that I have been working on learning Melissa by the Almond Brothers. Today, When I go to the Bridge, there it was. The exact same progression of the A Bar Chord to Bsus to C#m to Bsus back to A. Indeed. this made it much easier for me to do. Thanks Toney.
I can do it, but it is much easier if I bar with my pinky. I can even get the high E string.
fingers are getting stringer but i am NOT relaxed playing this chord
and my arm hurts like hell during and afterwards
B minor- No problem.
B maj, I have a really hard time with barring those 3 strings.
However, I do a modification and it sounds just fine. There are 3 that I have found…. I either make the A shape on the fourth fret with the pinky on the high e string
OR
the A shape on the fourth fret and bar the first 4 string on the second fret with my index
OR (the easiest & my favorite)
index on high E of second fret, middle finger on B string of third fret, and on the fourth fret; the ring on D and pinky on G.
It is easier for me to bar with my pinkie, sounds better.
OMG! My pinkie isn’t nearly that strong!
Ouch a definite wrist work out! Sounding good though.