Unlock the Secret to Rock Rhythm through Playing Power Chords
Power chords are a real focus of rock, blues, and pop music. They’re used to create solid rhythm guitar parts, and are often used in riffs. Power chords sound great on an electric guitar with some distortion. The best thing is they’re SUPER EASY! I guarantee that after working through this chapter you’ll be playing your favorite rock guitar rhythm parts. I’ll use my electric guitar with a rock sound for the recorded examples.
How to Play Power Chords
There are three different types of power chord: the 6 th string root, 5 th string root and 4th string root. The root note defines how the chord is known, for example 6th string root means the note that names the chord is found on the 6th string.
6th String Root E5 Power Chord
The easiest way to get started is to learn this simple E5 power chord. Notice from the chord diagram that you only play two strings, making this a two-note version of the chord. If you think back to your open chord lessons, you’ll realize that we’re playing a small section of the E Major chord. It’s a simple way to inject that rock sound into your playing!
E5
Please note that my other fingers are out of the way just to help make the image clearer. You don’t need to curl your fingers away from the chord like in the image, they should just be in a comfortable position.
The three-note version of the E5 power chord requires you to barre across two strings with the 1 st finger. Lay your first finger across the 4 th and 5 th strings, and press down both strings. Use the pad of your finger rather than the tip. Push the pick over only the strings that you want to play, and use the next string to stop the pick. So to play the three-note version, stop your pick on the 3 rd string. The three-note version has a fatter, more full sound, so you can vary the sound depending on the requirements of the song.
Try playing this simple three-note E5 power chord example
5th String Root A5 Power Chord
To create 5 th string root power chords, we move the same shape across to the 5th string. Again, spend some time making sure that you only play the required strings, and that you get the three-note version to sound clearly with the barre technique.
A5
Try both the two and three note versions. It’s great to be able to play both so you’re flexible with any sounds required.
4th String Root D5 Power Chord
Once again, you should be able to see that you’re only playing a small section of the D Major chord that you learnt in the early lessons. The difference with the three-note version is that you now use two fingers instead of barring the chord.
Try some simple song exercises using three-note power chord versions changing shapes.
This may remind you of the cover band favorite ‘Summer of 69’ by Brian Adams.
Strum all down strokes.
EXAMPLE??
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If you want to get closer to the actual song then listen carefully to the original version, and match the rhythm and chord shapes. The key is to accent the power chords in the right places.
The song ‘Black Shuck’ by the Darkness uses a similar pattern to this exercise.
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Once again, train your ears by listening to their recording for the correct rhythm and shapes.
This exercise may remind you of one of the all time greatest guitar songs ‘Back in Black’ by AC/DC.
You can play it very simply, or with a more interesting rhythm and strumming pattern.
Here’s what it looks like with a cool rhythm.
Strum: Down, Down Up Down, Down Up Down.
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Moving Power Chords to Play any Chord Instantly
The coolest thing about power chords is that you can play any chord a song requires just by moving the chord shapes up and down the neck. For example, if we move the E5 shape up the neck by three frets we create a G5 power chord.
G5
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I’ve included the tab so you can see that we’ve now moved the shape up the neck. Once you’ve memorized the power chord shapes you’re an unstoppable rock rhythm guitar machine, as the shapes stay the same all over the fingerboard.
If we move this shape up two more frets, we create an A5 power chord.
A5
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Moving up the neck two-note 6th string root power chords
This example is based around a John Lee Hooker style blues riff. You can play it straight as it’s written or give it some blues vibe by swinging the rhythm. Listen to the next shuffle example to hear how to give the exercise a swing feel.
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The Rock Shuffle
An important part of rock rhythm is the triplet rhythm. A triplet is a group of three notes played in the space of 2. The eighth note triplet is the most common found in rock.
Eighth notes count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Triplet notes count: 1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a
Triplets should sound even and smooth, so I find it useful to count them: e-ven-ly, e-ven-ly, e-ven-ly etc.
When you play triplets, slowly pick the notes in the pattern: Down, Up, Down/ Down, Up Down/Down, Up, Down etc.
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When you improve and play them faster pick: Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up etc.
Hear the difference between triplets and eighth notes
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The rock shuffle or giving a song a blues shuffle/swing means that the triplet is sub-divided to stress the first and third notes of the triplet.
The shuffle is indicated like this:
SHUFFLE
The indication means that the eighth notes should be played with a shuffle feel – which is also known as a swing feel.
Now let’s try starting on the G5 power chord with the shuffle rhythm.
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Here’s all the notes of the fingerboard on the 6th bass string – and all the chords you can now play with your 6th string root E5 power chord.
If you play the shape on the 7th fret you’re playing a B5 power chord. If you play the shape on the 10th fret, you’re playing a D5 power chord. Use the diagram to work out the names of the power chords in other positions.
So, you’re now playing 6th string root power chords up and down the neck. The beautiful simplicity of power chords allows you to move the 5th and 4th string root power chords in exactly the same way – their shapes also stay the same no matter what the position.
Moving the 5th string root power chord
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Remember we are now playing it with a shuffle feel. Listen closely and copy the example.
Moving the 4th string root power chord
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How cool are power chords? You’ve got a full complement of chords ready to use, all based around some simple, moveable shapes. If you memorize the notes on the fingerboard for each shape, you’re set to rock! Here’s a diagram of the 5th A string and the 4th D string with all the notes labeled. Use it to work through 5th and 4th string root power chords in different positions to help start to remember what chord can be played where.
Palm Muting
If you want to create chunky rock sounds with your rhythm playing, palm muting is a widely used right hand technique for rock guitarists. Dial up some distortion on an electric guitar with palm muting and you’ll struggle to wipe the smile off your face!
To successfully palm mute, you’re attempting to damp the strings with your right hand, just preventing them from ringing out. Place the palm of your picking hand lightly against the strings of the guitar, just past the bridge.
Let’s play an E5 power chord with palm muting
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Notice from the notation that P.M. followed by a dash means to palm mute that section.
Sounds heavy, right? You can palm mute on single notes too, but for these examples let’s practice the technique using power chords.
Try the next example moving up the neck
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Palm muting can be done on any string
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Switch on, switch off palm muting
This example switches between palm muting and allowing a power chord to ring out on the next string. Check the notation to make sure you understand that the palm muting stops when you play the last chord of each bar.
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Palm muting is a fantastic technique for creating heavy chord sounds, and also for adding color to notes and riffs. Enjoy sounding like Metallica!
The Easiest way to Rock using Drop D Tuning
To achieve a heavier rock sound and play some classic riffs, tune your 6th E bass string down a tone to a D note. The guitar tuning is then D, A, D, G, B, E.
You can tune by ear to match the sound of the D with that of the 4th D string, or use a chromatic tuner. Otherwise, you may wish to tune to my Drop D note.
Drop D Note
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Drop D tuning makes it really easy to move the 6th string root power chord shape as you only have to use one finger. That’s right, one finger! So many cool bands use this tuning to rock out. Listen to Silverchair, Helmet, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, or Rage Against the Machine for some massive stadium rock moments.
The open power chord is then your 2 or 3 open bass strings (D, A or D, A, D) and is called the D5 power chord.
Tune down your bass string and have a go at playing in drop D tuning
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How do you like an exercise you can play using just your first finger? You have to use your first finger to barre across the two strings for the F5 and G5 power chords to create the shape of the drop D power chord. It’s so easy!
Notice on the tab I have marked the different tuning. Most music will indicate at the start if you have to change the tuning to play what is notated.
The three note 6th string root power chord version also works this way
This might remind you of the start to the Foo Fighters song ‘One By One’.
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Let’s try a few more riff examples similar to some famous songs.
This may remind you of a section of the Silverchair song ‘Israel’s Son’.
Pay close attention to the first section, which contains palm muting.
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End with a nice fat open D5 power chord.
Try an interesting riff similar to ‘Outshined’ by Soundgarden
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This example introduces a new advanced concept, where the time signature is now 7/4. This means that you count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 each bar. It’s more difficult and not very common. The beauty of the riff is that once you can play it, you just feel it and repeat it and you’ll notice you don’t have to think about counting.
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