THE POWER CHORD: The Only Chord You Need to Start Rockin' | Guitar for Beginners
May 20, 2023THE POWER CHORD: The Only Chord You Need to Start Rockin' | Guitar for Beginners - YouTube
I would bet you that everyone's favorite rock song uses the POWER CHORD. This beginner guitar technique is the basis of many styles of music, especially rock and metal (as well as all their subgenres). Bands such as Black Sabbath, Green Day, The Foo Fighters, and Metallica are just a few of THOUSANDS of artists whose songs rely heavily (if not, entirely) on this one chord. For being such a small, simple technique, the sound and the impact are MONUMENTAL!
In my opinion, the open E power chord (otherwise known as "E5") is the best place to start because it is the easiest and the heaviest sounding power chord of them all. Like all other power chords, you can unleash the thunder of the E5 chord by letting it ring out. You can also build a lot of tension and anticipation by palm muting and making the E5 chord chug. All it takes is an open E string and one finger on the 2nd fret of the A string and you are on your way to victory!
The open A power chord (A5) is an incredibly fun and satisfying chord to play. It looks just like the open E power chord, but it's played one set of strings underneath it. What do you get when you play the open A power chord? An amazing sound reminiscent of older hard rock and heavy metal bands like ACDC.
Lastly, we can take a look at the G power chord (G5). The shape of the G5 chord is the shape most people think of when they picture a power chord. This particular power chord requires an index finger on the 3rd fret of the E string and your pinky on the 5th fret of the A string. In the video, I talk about why it is important to use your pinky as opposed to your ring finger for this chord. One of the best parts about this chord is that the shape is moveable across the entire guitar.
The creative possibilities are endless, and you can write songs using nothing but power chords! , do yourself a favor and check out the full beginner lesson video HERE: THE POWER CHORD: The Only Chord You Need to Start Rockin' | Guitar for Beginners
As an added bonus, here is a link to the downloadable amp sim I use for free to get my distorted guitar tone--Amped Roots Download from ML Sound Lab: https://ml-sound-lab.com/pages/amped-roots
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