SPECIALTY BARRES PART 3: PARTIAL BARRES

Copyright Douglas Niedt. All Rights Reserved. This article may be reprinted, but please be considerate and give credit to Douglas Niedt.

A partial barre — the technique I now call an interior barre in my Barre Chord Wizard — is when a finger, usually the first with its tip joint bent backward, barres three adjacent strings but is not responsible for the higher-pitched string above them: that string is played open, held by another finger, or not played at all. Even the common first-position A major chord, where the barre looks like it covers only the 3rd and 4th strings, is really a three-string barre. This tip explains the technique, the physical traits it depends on (a tip joint that hyperextends while the middle joint stays bent), and where it appears in the repertoire, with video demonstrations.

What is a Partial Barre? (And Why I Now Call It an Interior Barre)

Some guitarists use the term partial barre to refer to any barre of 2, 3, 4, or 5 strings. That makes sense, and it's the common meaning. But the specialty barre in this technique tip is a different animal: a finger barres three adjacent strings but is not responsible for the higher-pitched string above the barre — that string is played open, held by another finger, or not played at all. In other words, it might barre the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings, but not the 1st string. Or, it barres the 3rd, 4th, and 5th strings but not the 2nd or 1st strings. Or, it barres the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings but not the 3rd, 2nd, or 1st strings. In my Barre Chord Wizard I gave this its own name — the interior barre — because no one had ever bothered to distinguish it from the everyday partial barre, and the distinction matters. When I wrote this technique tip and recorded its videos, I hadn't coined the term yet, so throughout the article and in the videos I simply say "partial barre." Whenever you read or hear "partial barre" here, think "interior barre." Even a barre that looks like it holds only two strings is really a three-string barre — more on that below. The interior barre is done most often with the first finger. But if your joints are limber enough and strong enough, it can also be done with the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th finger.

A partial barre is most commonly done with the first finger. And the tip joint of the first finger bends backwards, so it holds down three strings. The natural length of the fingertip will hold three strings down. And the first string behind the partial barre rings freely. A very common one is an A major chord at the second fret, holding down the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings while allowing the open first string to ring freely.

But a partial barre can barre any group of three strings: second, third, and fourth; third, fourth, and fifth; or fourth, fifth, and sixth strings. And again, the partial barre must allow the string or strings behind it to ring freely.

And although the first finger is usually used for partial barres, any finger can be used.

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #1: Overview of the Partial Barre

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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Genetic Factors

As you will see in the next video, the successful execution of a partial barre is dependent upon some genetic physical traits of your fingers:

1. The tip segment of your finger must be able to collapse or bend backward (hyperextend) quite a bit at the tip joint.


2. The tip joint must be long enough to barre three strings—but not more than that.


3. The partial barre requires independence of control between the tip and middle joints. You must be able to keep the middle joint bent while collapsing or bending backward (hyperextending) the tip joint. You may not be able to hold a partial barre if a finger or fingers exhibit the trait shown in the photo (hypermobility or "double-jointedness"):

The tip joint of each finger, or especially the first finger, needs to be able to bend backwards to hyperextend to do a partial barre. So each finger, whichever finger you want to use to do a partial barre, has to bend backwards at the tip. But when you collapse the tip joint, the middle joint must stay bent. It can't collapse. It must stand up. If the finger is double-jointed, it's very probable that the middle joint will collapse. Then you probably won't be able to do a partial barre if that's the case.

Watch this video on how to hold a partial barre:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #2: Finger Anatomy and the Partial Barre

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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A Common Partial Barre

The A major chord in first position is probably the chord that is most often played with a partial barre fingering:

The A-major chord using the partial barre fingering can be found frequently in the common classical guitar repertoire. Note that the chord can be played with other fingerings without using the partial barre. But the partial barre fingering greatly facilitates the execution of many passages. It is found at the end of Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega:

Watch this video:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #3: Common A Major Chord Using the Partial Barre

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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The same notes and fingering for the A major chord are found twice in this passage from Tárrega's Capricho Árabe:

Likewise, the same notes and fingering for the A major chord are found in many pieces by Mauro Giuliani including the Rossiniana op. 121:

Watch this video illustrating these passages from Capricho Árabe and La Rossiniana:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #4: Partial Barres in Capricho Arabe and Rossiniana

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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Some partial barres require less hyperextension

We can play a basic A major chord using a partial barre in two ways. 1) We can hyperextend the tip of the 1st finger to hold the notes on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings at the 2nd fret and clear the open 1st string behind it. 2) Or we can hyperextend the tip of the 1st finger just enough to hold only the 3rd and 4th strings clearly and use the 2nd finger to hold the note on the 2nd string at the 2nd fret. However, in both situations, the 1st-finger partial barre still must clear the open 1st string. But in many chords we do not have to clear the string, open or otherwise, behind the partial barre. In many situations the partial barre finger must bend backward just enough to clearly hold the two strings it is responsible for without having to clear the immediately adjacent string behind it. Therefore the partial barre fingering can still be useful for those whose fingers don't hyperextend very much.

In John Williams' transcription of Leyenda by Isaac Albéniz we have this passage:

Although the chord could be played with a normal flat barre, for me the partial barre makes it easier to shift from the chord to the arpeggio. In this case the partial barre must hold the 4th and 5th strings but doesn't have to hold the 3rd string or clear any open strings behind it. So, this is an example of where a partial barre is useful even if your finger hyperextends very little.

Watch me demonstrate in this video:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #5: Partial Barres in Leyenda (Asturias)

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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Genetics and partial barres that require a barre of three strings

In Danza Pomposa by Alexandre Tansman as fingered by Segovia we have this passage:

Here the partial barre must barre three strings. In this situation genetics come into play once again. The finger's tip joint must be long enough to cover three strings. For some, the joint may not be long enough. Nothing can be done about that.

Watch me demonstrate Danza Pomposa:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #6: Partial Barres in Danza Pomposa (Tansman)

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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However, I should point out that the tip joint may not be long enough to barre three strings because the guitar is too large for the player. I see this in cases where a child is playing a regular size guitar when they should be playing a 3/4 or even 1/2 size guitar. It also happens with adults with shorter fingers playing a guitar with too wide of spacing between the strings.

Partial barres can be easier to play than standard barres

Sometimes the partial barre is mechanically more efficient than a standard flat barre. In Matteo Carcassi's Study No. 3 we have this passage:

The B sus 4 chord could be played with a normal flat barre. But for many, a partial barre with the first finger barring only the 3rd, 4th, and 5th strings requires less strength and effort. The partial barre also requires less change in the wrist and arm position from the chord before and after.

Watch me demonstrate the efficiency of the partial barre:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #7: Partial Barres in Study #3, Op. 60 (Carcassi)

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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A common A-major or A-minor chord on the lower strings in second position can also be easily played with a partial barre:

It is found at the end of Tárrega's Recuerdos de la Alhambra and his Marieta:

In Julian Bream's edition of the Courante from Lute Suite 1 (BWV 996) Bream indicates a partial barre in this passage:

True, the chord could be played with a standard flat barre. But for most players, the chord can be played with less effort with a partial barre. Also, the partial barre enables the left hand to stay in almost the same position before and after the chord. The standard flat barre requires a substantial change of hand and wrist position.

Watch:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #8: Partial Barres Courante, Lute Suite BWV996

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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The partial barre comes in very handy for several reasons in another passage from Tárrega's Recuerdos de la Alhambra:

Watch me explain and demonstrate this passage with and without the partial barre:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #9: Partial Barre, Recuerdos de la Alhambra Slur

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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Partial Barres With the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Fingers.

And, Why I'm Indebted to the Rolling Stones.

Partial barres are usually done with the 1st finger. But they can be done with any finger. However, once again genetics can be a factor. Even if the 1st finger is limber enough to hold a partial barre, the other fingers may not be. But, if your fingers are cooperative, partial barres with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers can be very useful.

In Córdoba by Isaac Albéniz, John Williams specifies a partial barre with the 2nd finger:

Watch me demonstrate the passage in this video:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #10: Partial Barre, Cordoba (Albéniz)

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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Partial barres with the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th fingers are often a better solution to a more difficult conventional fingering. At the end of the third movement of John Duarte's English Suite, we are given this conventional fingering:

But I find it much easier to use a partial barre with the 2nd finger at the ninth fret instead:

Furthermore, with the partial barre fingering we could add an extra E on the third string and strum the final chord making the ending far more powerful:

Watch me demonstrate these fingerings and concepts in this video:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #11: Partial Barre, English Suite (Duarte)

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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A Valuable Lesson from the Rolling Stones

When I was a kid, one of my teachers taught me to play the rhythm guitar part of Satisfaction, as performed by the Rolling Stones. He taught me to play an E-major chord using a full barre at the 7th fret PLUS a partial barre with the third finger at the 9th fret:

It was hard enough to hold down the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings with the 3rd finger. But he also insisted that the 1st string behind the partial barre had to come out clearly. At first, the tip of my 3rd finger didn't bend back enough to clear the 1st string. But I was young and my joints still malleable. After a few weeks of diligent (and painful) practice, the joint became more pliable and I was finally able to get the 1st string to come out clearly. This type of barre is more difficult to learn as an adult because our joints become less pliable as we age. To this day, whenever I come across a situation where I need to use the 3rd finger as a partial barre, I thank the Rolling Stones.

Some guitarists look askance at partial barres with fingers other than the 1st finger. I was once admonished by the great Andrés Segovia himself not to use "those jazz fingerings". He obviously had never played any music by the Rolling Stones. HaHa.

Watch me demonstrate this chord with the partial barre fingering:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #12: Partial Barre, E Major Chord

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

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I find that a Rolling Stones-style partial barre with the 3rd finger is very convenient in this passage from Francisco Tárrega's Recuerdos de la Alhambra:

Watch me demonstrate:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #13: Partial Barre with 3rd Finger, Recuerdos

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

If the video will not play, Click here

In Julian Bream's edition of the Prelude from Bach's Lute Suite No. 1 (BWV 996) we have this passage:

The conventional fingering of the B-major chord is fine—especially because the 3rd finger holding the A# on the chord before is a guide finger into the B major chord. But I find it much easier to use my 4th finger as a partial barre:

Watch as I demonstrate both fingerings:

Specialty Barres Part 3: Partial Barres, Video #14: Partial Barre, Praeludium Bach Lute Suite BWV996

(In this video I say "partial barre" — the technique I now call the interior barre. See the note at the top.)

If the video will not play, Click here

Final Thoughts

Partial barres with the 1st finger are a useful and common technique in the repertoire. Partial barres with other fingers are less common but can be useful (more secure and easier to play) in many situations. Unfortunately, for some players genetics can be a limiting factor. The tip joints of your fingers may not bend backward enough to hold the strings down. However, conventional fingerings can usually be used instead. But if your joints are cooperative, the partial barre is often more secure and requires less effort than a conventional fingering.