Power chords use the same shapes as barre chords, but just on 2 or 3 strings
These power chords just include the root and 5th, but can include the octave too as an option. Therefore, they are named e.g. A5 (numbers after letters always mean the degree of the major scale)
Exercise 1 - The 6 Key Tones (dotted frets)
Frets 3, 5 & 7 are the dotted frets to focus on
G, A and B are the root 6 notes
C, D. and E are the root 5 notes
Turn each of these root note positions into power chords
G5, A5, B5
C5, D5, E5
The next task is to try muting all the other strings that are not used
Below shows how the power chords versions are constructed across all 6 strings including the muted strings
Root 6 power chords
2 finger: Root 6, 5th, 4, 3, 2, 1 all muted
3 finger: Root 6, 5th, octave, 3, 2 & 1 all muted
Root 5 power chords
2 finger: 6 muted, Root 5, 5th, 2, 1 muted
3 finger: 6 muted, Root 5, 5th, octave, 1 muted
Bonus Riff
Non of that Major cheery or Minor dreary with these power chords as the interval (distance of those two notes) sounds powerful hence the name. Strum these together on the guitar, either the 2 note or 3 note version, and it has the same powerful effect; probably why all our favourite bands, artists and their songs use them all the time
The 'power chord' interval isn't used in popular music only. Think of the first two notes of the StarWars Theme, they go Root to 5th that instantly fills us with that excitement just through the music
Also check out these great Power Chord Songs all equally transferable from electric guitar to the acoustic!
