Learning how to play power chords on your guitar is of the basic techniques that you have to master. Power chords are commonly used in the blues, rock, and metal genres, but they are not limited there. Because these genres are very influential, power chords are now also used in a wide variety of music types.
The term “power chord” is somewhat a misnomer, because the power chord is not really a chord in the traditional sense. Traditional chords are made up of three or more notes – the root, a perfect fifth interval, and the major or minor third interval. In knowing how to play power chords, it is important to note that they do not have the major or minor third interval. Only the root note and the perfect fifth interval (and sometimes the root note doubled on a higher octave) are the elements that make up a power chord. Some music traditionalists prefer to call this a dyad or a “power interval” because of the lacking third interval.
How to play power chords – Follow the steps closely
Now that we know a little more about what power chords are, let us move on to how to play power chords.
Step 1: Pick a note from the fifth or sixth string of your guitar.
The fifth and sixth strings (A and E, respectively) are the most commonly used root notes of a power chord. The index finger is used to press down on this note. Let’s say for example you selected to play the A note on the fifth fret – this is your root note, so you will be learning how to play power chords in A.
Step 2: Press down on the interval
The interval for a power chord is two frets down from the root note on a higher string. This means that if you are pressing down on the A note in the fifth fret, your third finger should be pressing down on the D string in the seventh fret.
Optional Additional Step: Playing the root note an octave higher
As mentioned earlier, power chords are sometimes played with the root doubled in a higher octave. If you want to do this, you can press down on the same fret that your third finger is positioned in, only one string down. So if your third finger is pressing down on D, your fourth finger will be pressing down on G.
Step 3: Play the strings
Note that for learning how to play power chords, you have to remember to play only the strings that you are pressing down on. Remember not to play the other strings. This is going to be a little tricky at first, but with practice, you’ll get it.
How to play power chords – Master the technique
There you have it, friends, the steps in how to play power chords! Pretty simple, yes? Once you get the basic steps in creating power chords, you will be able to play them in no time. Aside from this, once you have the technique mastered, you can easily move up and down the guitar fingerboard and confident on how to play power chords.