• ⏱ Estimated Time: 20 minutes reading + 25 minutes practice = 45 minutes total
• 📋 Requirements: Completed Lesson 12 — Barre Chords
• 🎯 Goal: Play power chords cleanly and move them across the fretboard in time

The Sound That Defined Rock Music

Power chords are behind almost every rock song ever written. AC/DC, Nirvana, Green Day, The Who, Foo Fighters — power chords are the foundation of all of it. They are also the easiest chord shape on guitar. Two fingers. Massive sound. Instant results.

Even if you are not a rock guitarist power chords teach you something essential — how notes relate to each other across the fretboard and how to move shapes fluidly up and down the neck. That skill applies to everything.

1. What is a Power Chord

A power chord is not technically a full chord — it only contains two different notes, the root and the fifth. This is why power chords are neither major nor minor. They have no third which means they work over both major and minor contexts. They fit everywhere.

In tab notation power chords are written with a 5 — G5, A5, E5. The 5 tells you it is a root and fifth only.

2. The Power Chord Shape

There is only one shape to learn. It moves everywhere.

On the low E string:

• Index finger — any fret on the low E string (this is your root note)
• Ring finger — two frets higher on the A string
• Pinky — same fret as ring finger on the D string (optional — adds thickness)
• Strum only the bottom 2 or 3 strings — never all 6

Example — G5 power chord:

e |----------|
B |----------|
G |----------|
D |--5-------|
A |--5-------|
E |--3-------|

Index finger on fret 3 of the low E string. Ring finger on fret 5 of the A string. Pinky on fret 5 of the D string. Strum only those 3 strings. That is G5.

3. Moving Power Chords Up the Neck

The shape never changes. Only the position moves. The root note on the low E string tells you which chord you are playing:

• Fret 0 — E5
• Fret 1 — F5
• Fret 2 — F#5
• Fret 3 — G5
• Fret 5 — A5
• Fret 7 — B5
• Fret 8 — C5
• Fret 10 — D5

You now have every power chord on the low E string memorised. The same shape works starting from the A string too — just move the root to the A string and the other fingers follow to the D and G strings.

4. Muting — Essential for Power Chords

Power chords sound best with precise muting. You only want those 2 or 3 strings to ring — everything else must be silent.

• Let the underside of your index finger lightly touch the strings above the root — this mutes the thinner strings above
• Let your strumming hand palm lightly touch the strings below — this mutes the thicker strings below
• Only the strings you are pressing should make sound

Practice strumming aggressively across all strings and relying on your muting technique to keep only the power chord notes ringing. This is how rock guitarists strum freely without worrying about hitting wrong strings.

5. Palm Muting Power Chords

Palm muted power chords are one of the most recognisable sounds in rock music. Rest the heel of your strumming hand lightly on the strings right at the bridge. Not too far from the bridge or the strings go completely dead. Right at the bridge for a tight chunky muted sound.

Alternate between palm muted and open power chords for a classic rock dynamic:

PM = palm mute   O = open

PM  PM  PM  PM  O   O   O   O
G5  G5  G5  G5  G5  G5  G5  G5

This technique alone is the foundation of hundreds of classic rock riffs.

6. Your First Power Chord Riff

Here is a classic style power chord riff using chords you can now play. This is not from a specific song — it is a training riff designed to get you moving between power chords efficiently:

e |--------------------------|
B |--------------------------|
G |--------------------------|
D |--5--5--7--7--8--8--7--7--|
A |--5--5--7--7--8--8--7--7--|
E |--3--3--5--5--6--6--5--5--|

G5 — A5 — Bb5 — A5. Down strums only. Metronome 70 BPM. Keep every strum tight and even. This riff teaches you to move the shape quickly while keeping your muting clean.

7. Power Chords and Distortion

Power chords sound good clean but they sound incredible with distortion. If you have an electric guitar and an amp add some overdrive or distortion and play these shapes. The reason power chords became the foundation of rock is because distortion makes full chords sound muddy and chaotic but power chords cut through perfectly. The missing third is what keeps them clear under heavy gain.

If you are playing acoustic do not worry about this now. Power chords still work and still sound great. Distortion is just the cherry on top.

Practice Checklist

Complete every item before moving to Lesson 14.

• ☐ Power chord shape on fret 3 — G5, press cleanly, strum only bottom 3 strings, every note rings. Target: 3 minutes
• ☐ Power chord walk up low E — E5 F5 G5 A5 B5 C5 D5, one strum each, slow and clean, name each chord as you play it. Target: 5 minutes
• ☐ Muting drill — strum aggressively across all 6 strings while holding G5, only the bottom 3 strings should sound. Adjust muting until clean. Target: 5 minutes
• ☐ Palm muting drill — G5 palm muted, 8 strums in a row, tight and chunky. Then open G5, 8 strums. Alternate 10 times. Target: 5 minutes
• ☐ Training riff — G5 A5 Bb5 A5, metronome 70 BPM, 10 times clean. Target: 8 minutes
• ☐ Power chord song attempt — search “Smells Like Teen Spirit power chord tab” on Ultimate Guitar, try the main riff slowly. Target: 8 minutes
• ☐ Bonus — A string power chords — learn the same shape starting from the A string, walk up A5 B5 C5 D5 E5, name each one. Target: 5 minutes

What You Learned This Lesson

• ✅ What a power chord is and why it has no major or minor quality
• ✅ The universal power chord shape and how to move it
• ✅ Every power chord on the low E string
• ✅ Muting technique for clean power chord playing
• ✅ Palm muted power chords — the classic rock sound
• ✅ Your first power chord riff
• ✅ How distortion and power chords work together

Lesson Progress

Posture ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Tab Reading ████████████ MASTERED ✅

First Chords ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Strumming ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Music Theory ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Full Chord Family ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Chord Transitions ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Fingerpicking ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Song Structure ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Dynamics ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Number System ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Barre Chords ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Power Chords ████████████ MASTERED ✅

Hammer-Ons & Pull-Offs ░░░░░░░░░░ LOCKED — Lesson 14

🎸 Lesson 13 Complete! XP Earned: +450 — You are now one step closer to playing Clocks by Coldplay.

Next up: Lesson 14 — Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs: Smooth Legato Playing 🎸