Chord positions
For F-shape:
F G A B are frets 1, 3, 5, and 7, roughly speaking. These are the dotted frets.
C and D are frets 8 and 10, roughly speaking. These are the ones between the dotted ones.
E is fret 0 and fret 12.
For A-shape:
Bb C D E are frets 1, 3, 5, 7. These are the dotted frets.
F and G are frets 8 and 10.
A is fret 0 and fret 12.
For C-shape:
C D E are frets 1, 3, 5.
F, G, A are fets 6, 8, 10.
B is fret 0 and fret 12.
The C-shape is ahead of the A-shape by one full tone in position.
Identifying notes
For 1st and 6th string, we know that it is always the root note of the F shaped barre chord on that fret.
For 5th string, it is the root note of the A shaped barre chord on that fret. It is also the root note of the C-shaped chord that includes it.
For 4th string, it is the root note of the F-shaped barre chord that is barred two frets earlier.
For the 3rd string, it is the root note of the A-shared barre chord that is barred two frets earlier.
For the 2nd string, it is the note that is one full tone above the root note of the A-shaped barre chord on that fret.
Identifying the mediant, dominant, etc.
Now finding 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes.
- F-shaped and A-shaped chords are really the same structure, but the A-shaped ones are off by one string towards the higher pitch.
- The 6th string is not normally played in A-shaped barre chords.
- The 6th string, 1st string, and 4th string for F-shaped barre chords has the root note.
- For F-shaped chords, the 5th stirng (5 semi-tones behind the 4th string) has the 5th note.
- For F-shaped chords, 3rd string (4 semi-tones ahead of the 4th string) has the 3rd note.
- For A-shaped chords, the 4th string (5 semi-tones behind the 3rd string) has the 5th note.
- For A-shaped chords, the 2nd string (4 semi-tones ahead of the 3rd string) has the 3rd note.
Since we can find these notes based on the positions easily, we can immediately know the notes in the chord.
Chord relationships
This means that the root note of the F-shaped chord is the 5th note of the A-shaped chord barred at the same fret.
It also means that The 3rd note of the F-shaped chord is a flat of (one semi-tone below) the root note of the A-shaped chord barred at the same fret.
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