Power Chords

It's strange how many people get lost in the difference between power chords and bar chords.

For those people I will start off by saying power chords have 3 fingers on 3 strings and bar chords have 1 finger on ALL strings and chords using you pinky, ring and middle finger.

Let's go onto a power chord called F5.

d|3
a|3
e|1

That is a power chord, I will now show you a bar chord called F...

e|1
b|1
g|2
D|3
A|3
E|1

Power chords are known to be used in rock music like; Nirvana, Blur, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam etc...

You can still use bar chords in rock music just power chords give a 3 note sound.

Hoped I helped,
Scotty

Comments

[thes50]

Ok, if a power chord has to be played with three fingers then by your definition a Drop D Power chord isn't a power chord - it's a Bar Chord without the rest of the fingers.

Either you don't know what your talking about or you suck at definitions. You don't have to use three fingers, Drop D allows you to play some Power Chords using one finger.

Not only this but you don't HAVE to use three fingers across three strings, two string power chords are perfectly acceptable.

Again, with Bar Chords you don't have have to press ALL the strings, only for certain chords.

[scott3000]

ok i will re do this item

[scott3000]

thanks for that

[ron4ik16]

This guy knows only the form of the power chord. Not the theory behind how a power chord is built.

[thes50]

Which is what I'm interested in, being a 'beginner' (Been playing a year so technically still a beginner).

[scott3000]

yes i had to write fast as i was in a rush bt i will make one with the theory

[Dwarffi]

If you're in a rush, why even make a lesson? I mean, you would have done a lot better if you'd have used time to do it.

[pikia666]

http://www.fretboard-fury.com/

Lots of quality exercises here

[Sir_Taffey]

It's a cool way of illustrating although they are built from the same root you can use them interchangeably depending on your sound. Obviously the major/minor tonality will not be there if you use a power chord before the theory junkies try to call me out But when I started it was something I did before I had the strength for a full bar chord