Power Chords

Power chords are one of the fundamental things guitarists must learn and understand, although they are not really chords according to the traditional definition. Technically a chord consists of 3 or more notes but what we call a power chord is only 2 notes, an interval to be specific. The term evolved because guitar players in bands referred to as power trios commonly used them. These were bands consisting of just guitar, bass, and drums (give or take a singer) like Cream, The Who, and Led Zeppelin.

A few reasons they are important is that they are relatively easy to play, easy to change from one to another, and there are thousands of songs that can be played with them.

The two notes that make up a power chord are the root (the letter name of the chord) and the 5th step of the major scale. Most power chords are played with your 1st finger fretting the root on either the 6th or 5th string, and your 3rd finger one string and two frets higher. You can also play them with the root being an open string (again usually E or A) and the 5th fingered on the adjacent string with your 1st finger at the 2nd fret.

Here are some diagrams. There is more to explore about power chords in the Exercises and Songs sections.