by Rod Goelz
By definition, a power chord consists of two notes played in unison; a root
note harmonized with the note a pefect 5th above (or below) that root note.
Example 1 shows a two note power chord (played with your index and pinky
fingers). This is the prefered chord of most heavy metal guitar players. Many
rock, punk and hardcore players opt to add a third note to existing chord (as
seen in Example 2), which makes the chord sound fuller.
The two examples above are rooted off a G note, and so they are called G Power Chords (G5 in a chord chart). It should be know however, that these chords can be rooted off of any note. To test this theory, move your power chords around to different notes.
Power Chords are often rooted off of the open strings E, A, and D as well, as seen in the following example.
Performance Notes:
The notes of a power chord are called "perfect" 5th intervals played in unison. Like all "perfect" intervals, fifths blend into one unified sound, almost soundings like one THICK note. Playing a power is like shaking water off your strumming wrist. Your fretting hand is responsible for muting out all notes that are not in the chord (the three to four other notes that are not apart of the chord. To master the power chord, start by finding songs that employ their distinct sound. Basic rock and pop-punk are the easiest places to start.