The most basic variation is the first note and the fifth played together, but you can also add an octave of the root note at the top of the chord. Power chords are easy to play, and frequently used in rock music. Technically, it’s neither major or minor, because there is no third. D major chord, open positionĬombining just the first and fifth notes, you have a power chord. If you combine the first, the third, and the fifth, you have a chord. The fifth note is the fifth interval in the scale. You may know about the third, which determines whether a chord is major or minor. The first note of the scale is referred to as the tonic, or in terms of intervals, a perfect unison. You can count from the first note of the scale to the last note, and basically, these are your intervals. If you are familiar with the major scale, you will know that there are seven notes. But you should know something about intervals in order to understand how the chord is constructed. But if you tell them to play a fifth chord or interval, they should understand.Ī power chord on a guitar is a very simple chord, so we will try to keep the music theory to a minimum. If you ask a piano player to play a power chord, they may not know what you’re talking about. “Power chord” is a term used solely by guitarists. A Small Dose of Music TheoryĪs mentioned above, a power chord is composed of a root note plus a fifth. You’ll see that it’s the building block of barre chords as well. Once you learn this pattern, you will recognize it in most rock songs that you learn, and you may start to hear it in the music you listen to. Here is a diagram of the most basic power chord shape: A power chord, starting on the 5th fret of the low E string On the guitar, it is played with the index finger and the ring finger, usually starting either on the low E or A string. The fifth is the fifth interval above the root note. The root note designates the key of the chord, and is the first note of the power chord. So what exactly is a power chord? A power chord is a guitar-centric term for a two note chord that includes the root note and a fifth note. Despite the grandiose sounding name, this is one of the easiest chords you’ll ever learn. When learning how to play guitar, you will undoubtedly come across the term “power chord,” especially when playing rock or pop.
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