power chords

Whats a power chord? Basically, a power chord is 2 notes taken from a scale in the same key, or bits of a barre chord. The 2 notes are the first and fifth. These chords are easier to play, and sound much more powerful, hence the name 'power chord'. Power chords are useful because they are niether major nor minor. This is because they dont have enough notes to be defined. To make this all easier to understand, lets look at an example. The tab below shows a C major barre chord, followed by the C Major power chord.


e|-------3---------|------------------------|
B|-------5---------|------------------------|
G|-------5---------|------------------------|
D|-------5---------|---------5--------------|
A|-------3---------|---------3--------------|
E|-----------------|------------------------|

This chord has the name C5. Power chords are named by their root note, followed by a 5. Lets have a look at some C scales as a way to find the origin of the power chord other than a barre chord.


     C Major Scale - One Octave
e|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------2--4--5----------------|
D|----------2--3--5-------------------------|
A|----3--5----------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

If we number the notes in accending order, from 1 to 8, the first note is C and the fifth is G. These are our 2 notes. This rule is constant with all the keys, and the chords are moveable along the fret board to change key.
Below are some examples of different power chords in C, however the first is the most common one. All these chords are is different combinations of C and G.


e|------------|-------------|------3------|-------------|------------|
B|------------|------8------|------1------|-------------|------------|
G|------------|------5------|-------------|-------------|------5-----|
D|------5-----|-------------|-------------|-------------|------5-----|
A|------3-----|-------------|-------------|------3------|------------|
E|------------|-------------|-------------|------3------|------------|

Here's how to change from C to another key: for example, if you wanted to move the first form from C to G, simply move the whole thing up 7 frets. Or to make it all easier, move everything down one string. The way you move depends on if you want the chord to be higher or lower.

HINT: Power chords aren't major or minor, they can be used with either.