Power Chords for the Electric Guitar
Created | Updated Mar 20, 2003
A Few Notes Can Go A Long Way
Power chords are often composed of two or three notes, played on the bottom strings(numbers six to four) of the standard six-string electric guitar.A chord is always named after its root note, and often built with notes from within that note's scale. For example, a chord in the C position(not having any sharps or flats) will have only natural notes in it(in the most simple form of chords).
What IS Guitar Tablature?
Power chords are often best understood and read easiest when written in tablature. Tablature has little concern for instructing guitarists on proper music theory, but provides a universal guide for six-stringers. Tablature takes the six strings of the guitar and transfers them horizontally onto paper.
The bottom line co-ordinates with the thickest string; that low E, known as the sixth string. If a number appears on this line, the string will be played. If this number is a zero(0), the string is to be played Open, or without your finger pressing down on the neck of the guitar. When a number appears in Tablature, it indicates the fret that is to be played:
E---------------------
B---------------------
G---------------------
D---------------------
A--5------------------
E--3------------------
Here, the sixth string is to be played with the third fret held down(Bottom E line, interupted with a 3). You will notice also, that the fifth string(just above the bottom line) is to be played on the fifth fret of the guitar, and simultaneously with the note on the sixth string.
This coupling of tones produces a power chord in G.
Some sheet music will include guitar chord diagrams, used to illustrate the fingering of chords. Rarely will you find published music that has very many power chords in diagram form, and diagram chords commonly strike most, if not all, of the strings.
