The Bar
Sometimes when playing chords, it is necessary to hold down two or more strings simultaneously with one finger of the left hand. This is called barring the strings. It is important to be able to use the first finger (and sometimes other fingers) to hold down anything from two to four strings. When playing two strings, it is referred to as a half bar.
The chords A and E shown in the following diagrams require the use of a half bar. For the A chord, the first finger is flattened across the 3rd and 4th strings. For the E chord, the second finger is flattened across the 2nd and 3rd strings. Memorize the shapes and then learn the following example. This technique may take some time to master, so be patient with it.
A
E
Once you are reasonably comfortable with the shapes, try adding a rhythm to the progression as demonstrated here.
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