Guitar Tab College

Guitar power chords are neutral, neither major nor minor. An electric guitar lead player can then easily improvise all sorts of weird scales without messing up the creative harmony or creating discord over the rhythm guitar players sequence.

Technically these are nor chords, as mostly, they compromise only two notes, that can be doubled or trebled to produce playable shapes.

Preferred by Rock guitarists who find that Barr chords are too cumbersome or muddy for the hard driving or distorted sound required,
and where normal open chords sound too country, blues or pop.

The musical term to name this guitar chord is a fifth: 5th

They are therefore written as A5 - B5 - C5 etc.

This is because the third note is omitted leaving an interval known as a perfect fifth. Again, they are neutral chords, allowing other guitarists or instruments to embellish with licks or riffs.

The best way to play power chords is to use the side of your first (index) finger to mute the X strings (the unwanted strings) so that if your in full rock mode you are not hitting unwanted notes!

Again, this makes a song or guitar instrumental sequence more interesting and adds a new cool range to your repertoire.

It also adds extra notes to what could otherwise be a rather boring straightforward Triad guitar sequence.

Note: the more complex the chord sequence or shapes, the more sophisticated the sound -

How to Understand When to Change Guitar Chords

Note that the position of the Chord above each Word is when the Change is due for each chord - repeat on each line of each verse.

HOUSE OF THE RISIN' SUN (Animals)

Am C D F
There is a house in New Orleans

Am C E
They call the Risin' Sun

Am C D F
And it is been the ruin of many a poor boy

Am E Am
And God I know am one

Have Fun!

By Peter Pentelbury