Power Chords
The rock guitarist's best friend
What is a Power Chord?
A power chord is the simplest chord shape in guitar — just two or three notes. Technically it's not a full chord (which needs three different notes minimum), but in rock, punk, and metal, power chords are everywhere.
They're made from just the root note and the fifth — no third, which means they're neither major nor minor. This ambiguity is what makes them work over almost anything. They sound heavy, solid, and aggressive, especially with distortion.
The Shape
There's one shape to learn, and it's moveable across the entire neck:
Root on string 6:
- Index finger: root note on string 6
- Ring finger: 2 frets up on string 5
- Pinky (optional): same fret as ring finger on string 4
Root on string 5:
- Same shape, just starting on string 5 instead of 6
- Index: string 5, Ring: string 4, Pinky: string 3
Only strum the strings you're fretting. Mute everything else. Your index finger can lean slightly to touch the higher strings and keep them quiet.
Moving Power Chords
Because power chords are a moveable shape, the name of the chord changes based on where your root note is:
String 6 root notes:
Fret 1 = F, Fret 3 = G, Fret 5 = A, Fret 7 = B, Fret 8 = C
String 5 root notes:
Fret 1 = Bb, Fret 2 = B, Fret 3 = C, Fret 5 = D, Fret 7 = E
This is your first taste of a massive concept: one shape, any key. Barre chords (coming soon) work the same way.
Palm Muting with Power Chords
Power chords and palm muting go hand in hand. Rest the edge of your picking hand (the fleshy part below your pinky) lightly on the strings right where they meet the bridge. This dampens the strings and creates a chunky, percussive "chug" sound.
The amount of muting depends on how much palm you rest on the strings — more palm = more muted. Experiment with the position to find that sweet spot between too muted (dead thud) and not enough (ringing open).
Tab Examples
G5 power chord (root on string 6, fret 3)
e--------- B--------- G--------- D---5----- A---5----- E---3-----
Power chord riff: G5 - Bb5 - C5 - G5
e----------------------------- B----------------------------- G----------------------------- D--5---8---10---5------------- A--5---8---10---5------------- E--3---6---8----3-------------
Palm-muted power chord chugging
PM-- PM-- PM-- e------------------------------- B------------------------------- G------------------------------- D--5-5-5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-5--- A--5-5-5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-5--- E--3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3-3-3-3-3---
Tips
- Only play the 2-3 strings you're fretting — mute everything else
- Power chords sound best with some overdrive or distortion
- Learn the notes on strings 6 and 5 so you know which power chord you're playing
- Keep your fretting hand relaxed — tension kills speed
Practice Exercises
- Play the G5 power chord — check only 3 strings are sounding
- Move the shape: play G5, A5, B5, C5 going up the neck (frets 3, 5, 7, 8 on string 6)
- Try the same shape starting on string 5: C5 (fret 3), D5 (fret 5), E5 (fret 7)
- Practice palm-muted chugging on any power chord — find the muting sweet spot
- Play the G5-Bb5-C5-G5 riff with palm muting between the chords