How To Play Ukulele Barre Chords & Moveable Chord Shapes
Barre chords are best!
What is a Barre Chord?
A barre chord or ‘moveable chord shape’ is a chord in which you ‘bar’ or ‘barre’ a whole fret with your index finger. Your finger acts like a capo, making sure that there are no open strings and leaving the rest of your fingers free to make the different chord shapes.
How do I Play Barre Chords?
Simply lay the inner side of your index finger over some or all the strings and keep it there until you change to a new fret.
If you find that you are getting some buzzing when you play a barre chord, it means that you need to press down a bit harder across the strings. If you are still having problems with buzzing, try pressing another finger on top of your barring finger to add extra strength.
It's easier than it sounds and when you get good at barring chords it opens a whole range of possibilities, enabling you to play a much wider range of chords higher up the neck of the ukulele.
Because barre chords require a lot of stretchiness in your fingers, it is always a good idea to do a few warm-up exercises first.
Turn a Half Barre into a Full Barre.
Here are a couple of examples of half-barred chords where you might find it easier just to barre the whole of the second fret for D7 and the whole of the first fret for Bb.
Half-barred chords
Use Chord Inversions to get a Different Sound.
Chord inversions are simply alternative ways to play the same chords. By using barred chords to play alternative versions of common chords you will be able to achieve a wider variety of tones on your ukulele. This technique can sound particularly effective when you are playing with other people in a small group. Try out these alternative barred chords for F starting on the seventh and fourth frets.
Alternative chords for F
More Barre Chords
Have a go at trying out more ukulele barre chords and inversions from this video, where they are explained brilliantly by Will Grove-White:
Will Grove-White on Ukulele Barre Chords
Top Tips for Barring Chords
• Make sure the ball of your thumb is pressed firmly into the neck of your ukulele.
• Press down as close to the fret as possible.
• Test out your barre chord by picking each string individually.
• Adjust the position of your fretting arm to find the best barring position for you.
Keep on practising - once you can play barre chords you will soon be able to move on to a whole new selection of chord variations and positions which will add interest, tone and quality to your playing.
Happy Strumming 🙂
Find more expert tips and practice techniques with our useful guides.