Learn How To Play Power Chords

In the beginning the electric guitar was just an instrument used to give the guitar player in a band the chance to be heard. Then along came fifties guitar player, Link Wray who pioneered the use of overdriven sound and distortion. He also introduced rock and roll guitar players to the power chord. Thanks to Link Wray guitar players are now enabled to kick butt.

Power chords make your guitar playing interesting. And the really great thing about power chords for beginner guitar players is that they only use two or three strings. You can move them around the fretboard at high speed and you can make use of them to back major or minor keys.

A power chord is a chord containing your root note and the fifth above it. To demonstrate the basic structure of power chords put your first finger on the third fret of the sixth string and your middle finger on the fifth string at the fifth fret. So with this example your root note is G and the fifth is, of course, D.

If you want to add more texture you can add the third to the chord plus, or instead of, the octave above your root note. Once you get the hang of power chords you can add and take away the fifths, thirds and octaves according to your whim.

Practicing power chords can give you some less tiring practice on bar chords but don't decide to go ahead and play ONLY power chords. That would be silly. You need to be constantly on the lookout for ways to vary your playing to make your audience sit up and take notice. Playing nothing but power chords would get boring after a while - for you and your audience.

If you want to get the feel of power chords, get hold of a copy of "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks. This was the very first song that was actually composed around power chords and if it wasn't for this song there might not have been heavy metal guitar playing.

There are charts showing power chords that you can download for free on the net but it is best to just keep in mind "root, fifth, octave" and do your own discovery of how to play power chords.

An interesting variation on playing power chords is the use of chords that consist of two strings played at the same fret. You can try this by barring the first two strings and sliding it up and down the fretboard or making your bar and using the third finger of your left hand to play a tune while the second string provides the harmony or discord, depending on your point of view.

By: Ricky Sharples

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