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]]> This lesson we will look further into how to play power chords and also how to find them. You may have already noticed that a power chord is based firmly around a root note. This means that in order to find the power chord you need, the first thing to do is find the appropriate root note. To do this you follow the same process involved in finding scales/barre chords in different keys. To help you get started, below you can see a diagram of the neck with the root notes laid out. For now, all you need to think about are the notes on the 6th string and the 5th string so the diagram only features the notes on these two strings.
Using the diagram above you can see that if you need a G power chord you have the following options; place the shape on the 3rd fret with your first finger (root) on the 6th string, or; place the shape at the 10th fret with your first finger (root) on the 5th string.
Using the shape in both of these positions will give you a G power chord. However they will both sound different. The G power chord at the 3rd fret will sound a lot deeper than the G power chord at the 10th fret. There are a few reasons that can affect your decision as to which chord to use. The song you are playing may require either a high sounding chord or a low sounding chord. This would affect your decision as to where you play the power chord. Sometimes the difference in sound between a power chord on the 6th string or the 5th string may not be all that great. In this instance you should choose whichever power chord is closest and thus easiest to get to.
To help you practice finding the power chord in different keys, use some form of random key finder. Try and play a power chord in two places for each key the icon throws at you.
Remember, if you need to find a power chord for a flat note (b) or a sharp note (#) then simply step up a fret for a sharp (#) or step down a fret for a flat (b).
Below is a chord sequence for you to have a go at. In order to complete this task using power chords, you’re going to have to match up the root notes from the chord sequence below, with the root notes on the diagram of the neck to find out where to play the power chords.
And finally we take a look at how we can use power chords to create a standard blues style rhythm. Just by adding an extra note to each chord every two notes we can create a good sounding standard blues riff from a basic power chord. Take a look at the TAB and the video below to see how this can be done.
image credit – Kelly Daniels 777
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]]> A lot of you may well have heard of power chords and are wondering what they are and how they can be used. Power chords are used widely in rock music but despite their wide us are very, very easy to play. Once you have learnt the one shape you’ll find that you’ll be able to play almost any rock song in a simple way. In fact, a lot of rock songs only feature power chords. The ease of use and the fact that they are used so much makes them a great first step for anyone who is new to playing guitar.I think of power chords as an extended way of playing root notes. You simply play the root note you desire, add a 5th from the major scale, and then an octave on the top. This gives you a very simple three note chord that can be used anywhere on the neck to give you a power chord in any key.
Take a look at the diagram below to see what notes are included in a power chord:
When playing a power chord, the first thing you have to do is decide whether you are going to play the chord using a root note on the 6th string, or the 5th string. This choice means you have two variations of the shape available to you. Of course, you can play a power chord using a root note from any string on the guitar but these are the main two options. Below are two diagrams showing you what the power chord shape looks like. On the left the shape is using a root note from the 6th string. On the right, the shape is using a root note from the 5th string.
As explained above, using a power chord is a bit like extending a root note. At least, this is how I think about power chords, as you are simply adding a 5th and an octave to give you an extra thick sound, in comparison to a single root note. As you’ll find out, the sound of a power chord doesn’t really differ much from that of a single root note, only in that it sounds a lot thicker and fuller. If you are new to the guitar, you may find playing power chords a bit of a stretch to start with. With a little bit of regular practice you will soon get used to them….they really aren’t that tricky!
To start with, try practicing the power chord exercise below. This should get you used to playing the shape and moving it about across the neck. As per usual, take a look at the video to see how the exercise is played:
Baring that in mind, below are a selection of riffs to get you started playing power chords within some tunes. The first TAB example is the riff comprising of single root notes, the second TAB example shows you the same riff but this time using power chords. This way you can see the difference between the two.
This first example uses power chords only taking root notes from the 6th string:
Root notes only:
Power chords:
The next example uses power chords using both root notes from the 6th string, and the 5th string:
Root notes only:
Power chords:
image credit – J.Bodas
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