Free Online Guitar Lessons
Guitar Power Chords
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Power chords are one of the absolute best things about guitar. They sound great, can be used in almost any form of music and best of all, they're dead easy to play!
Power chords are mainly used in Rock, Metal and Punk music and usually played on electric guitars with distortion or overdrive effects. Chances are, as you listen to the video's and examples in these lessons you'll recognize the sound of the power chord as something you hear regularly in your personal music collection.
Power chords are not soft and 'classically' like open and barre chords tend to sound, especially when plucked. On the contrary, power chords have an growling, aggressive sound to it that add amazing dimension to a song when used correctly.
Indeed, many people will argue that the distorted power chord is THE signature sound of our modern day electric guitar (apart from screaming solo's of course). If you wanna be a classical guitarist, you can get by on barre chords. But if you wanna be a rock star, you have to learn power chords...
Power chords are mainly used in Rock, Metal and Punk music and usually played on electric guitars with distortion or overdrive effects. Chances are, as you listen to the video's and examples in these lessons you'll recognize the sound of the power chord as something you hear regularly in your personal music collection.
Power chords are not soft and 'classically' like open and barre chords tend to sound, especially when plucked. On the contrary, power chords have an growling, aggressive sound to it that add amazing dimension to a song when used correctly.
Indeed, many people will argue that the distorted power chord is THE signature sound of our modern day electric guitar (apart from screaming solo's of course). If you wanna be a classical guitarist, you can get by on barre chords. But if you wanna be a rock star, you have to learn power chords...
If you're going to be playing rock, metal, punk or anything with distortion you need to learn and master everything about Guitar Power Chords!
Ok, enough Theory! Let me show you how it's done.
If you want to have a second look at Barre Chords go to the Playing Barre Chords page.
Otherwise proceed to the Power Chords for Guitar Lesson.
If you want to have a second look at Barre Chords go to the Playing Barre Chords page.
Otherwise proceed to the Power Chords for Guitar Lesson.
Officially, power chords are called 5th chords - the A Power chord is called the A5th chord, the D Power Chord the D5th chord etc.
The great thing about these chords, as I mentioned earlier, is that they are dead easy to play, especially if you know your barre chords.
There's no barring involved and the same basic shape is maintained for all the different keys. Yep, really simple stuff.
What kind of gear do I need...
For the best effect, it's ideal to play power chords on an electric guitar. If you have an effects pedal or an guitar amplifier with built in effects, add some distortion to your setup, but keep the sound clear enough so that you can still distinguish what's being played.
The great thing about these chords, as I mentioned earlier, is that they are dead easy to play, especially if you know your barre chords.
There's no barring involved and the same basic shape is maintained for all the different keys. Yep, really simple stuff.
What kind of gear do I need...
For the best effect, it's ideal to play power chords on an electric guitar. If you have an effects pedal or an guitar amplifier with built in effects, add some distortion to your setup, but keep the sound clear enough so that you can still distinguish what's being played.
If you don't have an electric guitar, that's perfectly fine too. Guitar Power Chords can also be played and used on an acoustic guitar and you can also use your acoustic for this lesson.