Place the index. Try fret 5, just behind the fret wire. Let the side of your index contact the strings; support the neck comfortably.
Add the A major shape. Ring finger: string 5, fret 7. Little finger: string 4, fret 7. Middle finger: string 3, fret 6.
Pick, adjust, release. Pick each string separately. Fix only the unclear note, then relax your hand before trying again.
Your index supplies strings 6, 2 and 1 at fret 5. The other fingers supply strings 5, 4 and 3. You do not need equal pressure from the index across all six strings.
Use 5–7–7–6–5–5, reading from the thick low E string to the thin high E string. This is called an E-shaped grip because it keeps the arrangement of an open E chord while the index takes over the open strings. At fret 5 its lowest note is A, so the chord is A major.
Keep the fingertips of fingers 2, 3 and 4 clear of neighboring strings. Let the index settle close to the fret wire without sitting on top of it. A small change in contact can help more than a harder squeeze. Fret 5 is a starting point, not a requirement: neck width, string height and hand comfort differ.
The long band on the diagram marks the index barre. Numbered dots show the other fingertips. The adjacent text lists the actual fret and finger for every string.
A major · fingers 1–3–4–2–1–1 Sounding notes: A–E–A–C♯–E–A
E major barre chord: use the A-shaped grip
For a second major-chord family, try X–7–9–9–9–7. Start on string 5, fret 7, where the note is E. Leave string 6 out. Index finger holds strings 5 and 1 at fret 7; fingers 2, 3 and 4 take strings 4, 3 and 2 at fret 9.
This version uses separate fingers for the three notes at fret 9. Some players use a small ring-finger barre instead and leave the thin E string silent, producing X–7–9–9–9–X. That is another E-major voicing, not a reason to force a finger joint backward. Use the separate-finger version shown here when following the check table.
Both examples are major chords, despite the different shape names. The lowest played root names the chord. Moving every fretted note together changes that root; moving only some fingers changes the voicing or the chord itself.
E major · fingers X–1–2–3–4–1 Sounding notes: X–E–B–E–G♯–B
Check the string, then the finger
Pick a string on your guitar and choose what you hear. This guide does not listen through a microphone: your selection identifies which finger to check.
Finger responsibility, low to high
String
Fret
Responsible finger
Start with position rather than force. If a note rings in isolation but stops when another finger lands, check whether that finger is touching its neighbor. If ordinary single notes are also difficult, have a teacher or guitar technician check the instrument's setup.
Release your grip if it hurts. Do not push through wrist pain, tingling or numbness to complete a drill.
Take your next check to the guitar
This sheet follows the shape, string and problem you selected above. It includes the finger map, one suggested adjustment and space to note what changed. Keep one variable at a time so you can tell whether the adjustment helped.
Your choices stay in this page until you reload or leave. There is no account, recording or saved practice history.
Turn a clean grip into a clean change
Once the A-major example rings clearly, release enough pressure to silence it while keeping your fingers near their places. Form it again, pick the strings, then relax. Next, move the whole E-shaped grip from fret 5 to fret 3: A major becomes G major, 3–5–5–4–3–3. Pause and check the notes before adding a steady rhythm.
Use successful repetitions as your cue to continue, rather than racing a fixed timetable. If the shape falls apart during a move, shorten the move and rebuild it slowly. If the static grip is still unclear, return to the specific string above instead of repeating a fast change.
F major, 1–3–3–2–1–1, uses the same E-shaped arrangement closer to the nut. For smaller F voicings while you work toward the full grip, see the F chord fingering guide. Keep your familiar beginner guitar chords in your practice so every session is not spent holding a barre.
Does a barre mean holding every string with the index?
It means one finger frets more than one string. In a complete chord, other fingers may fret some strings higher up. The responsibility table shows which strings actually need the index for each example.
Can I learn with a smaller grip?
Yes. Play fewer strings deliberately and check that the remaining notes still make the chord you intend. An accidental muted string and a chosen smaller voicing are different situations. The examples on this page mark exactly which strings to include.
My Chord Finder