Guitar Lesson: Introduction to Power Chords

Hi! I am Bob from Toronto, Canada. This guitar lesson is an introduction to heavy metal power chords and just mainly for beginners. A power chord is a chord made up of two notes and is played with distortion like so. [Guitar Demonstration] The reason that only two notes are used is because if you play a chord with all the notes using distortion, you end up with a really clattered sound like this. [Guitar Demonstration] So, clattered sounds. Now, here are the same chords using power chords. [Guitar Demonstration] So, as far as power chords go, less is better. Here is one example of a song that uses power chords. It is “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath, just a quick demonstration on a part of it. [Guitar Demonstration] Now, this is how to play a power chord. Play the F note on the 6th string, the top string and the C note on the 5th string it is a 3rd fret and play them together. [Guitar Demonstration] Now, here are the chords of a guitar power chords. Starting with E and B, then F 1st fret, 3rd fret G, 5th fret A, 7th fret B, 8th fret C, 10th fret D, and 12th fret E. [Guitar Demonstration] Starting at the 5th string open A, then 2nd fret is B, 3rd fret is C, 5th fret is D, 7th fret is E, 8th fret is F, 10th fret is G, 12th fret is A. [Guitar Demonstration] If you want, you can add a 3rd note to the power chords like so. [Guitar Demonstration] That would be F, C on the 5th string 3rd fret, and 4th string 3rd fret which is F again so. [Guitar Demonstration] Well, I hope this lesson has been helpful, and if you have any questions please message me. Also I have several lessons with tabs on my guitar group on MySpace. Go to myspace.com and go to groups, type in guitar lessons and look for Bob’s guitar lessons. That is my group. Bye for now.