TRY THIS: power chords - the guitar player's superpower!

Power chords are one of the most important building blocks of guitar playing. If you’re not already using them, stop what you’re doing right now and plug into a power chord — once you see all the ways it will light up your guitar brain, you’ll wonder how you stumbled around in the dark for so long.

You’re welcome!

What is a power chord?

A power chord is a basic, stripped down version of the common triad.

What can I do with a power chord?

You can take one single fingering and move it all over the neck of the guitar to make a primitive version of all twelve chords.

How do you play a power chord on the guitar?

Here’s a picture of the basic power chord fingering. The index finger is on the 6th string, and that note is the root of the chord.

This fingering can also be shifted “up” (down toward the floor but “up” in sound) so that the index finger (the root note) is on the 5th string.

Which strings should I play?

Only the three strings you have fingers on — the others must be muted.

How do I find the chord I want?

Your index finger is the root of the chord, so move your power chord around the fingerboard till the index finger is on the right note. For example, if you want a C power chord, play this fingering with the index on the 5th string 3rd fret.

What’s the difference between a power chord and a triad?

As the name suggests, a triad has three notes that make up that particular chord: the 1st (also called the “root”), 3rd, & 5th notes of the scale for that chord (e.g., G + B + D = a G triad). A power chord has only two of those intervals: the root and the 5th (e.g., G + D = a G power chord), so it’s “missing” the 3rd of the chord.

Is a power chord major or minor?

Neither! The third is the interval that makes a chord major or minor, and a power chord does not have the third. Which means you can actually use it for major OR minor chords.

Where do I start?

Pick a super-simple song with 2-3 chords that don’t jump around fast. Try Achy Breaky Heart: the record is in the key of A, and there are only two chords — A & E.

Here are the chords to Achy Breaky Heart in Nashville Numbers. When you see “1”, play an A power chord, and when you see “5”, play an E power chord.

Long live rock and roll!

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