Power Chords

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Looking for more power chords? Ex 12 is a complete major triad. The voicing is fifth, root, third. I think now is the perfect time to introduce you to the suspended fourth, since all you have to do here is add your pinky finger. Any major or minor chord can be turned into a suspended fourth by taking the third (or flatted third), and replacing it with the fourth degree of the major scale. Going back to the C major chord , the third, E, would be replaced with a F note, the fourth degree of a C major scale.

When sus 4 chord's are used in rock, metal, they are usually put between two major chord's of the same letter name. (For example: C major, C sus 4, C major.) Ex 12 can be turned into a sus 4 chord by simply putting your fourth finger in front of your second finger, as shown in Ex 13. Now lift the fourth back up and you are right back to that major triad. This move is used in rock and metal rhythms a fairly often.

Ex 4 can be changed into a sus 4 chord by means of a simple modification, as shown in Ex 14. (Notice that the first string is not played at all, and instead we add the the suspended fourth note.) Like i said before any major or minor chord can be turned into a sus 4 chord, but Examples 13 and 14 are more common in rock and metal. Sus 4 chord's are not used all the time like power chords, but they do have the spotlight from time to time.

Ex 12 appears sometimes in the bigger form of Ex 15. This is rare in rock and metal music however, but will be used sometimes. The fifth string is the root and the fourth string is the third. Form a bar with the first finger to hols down the first and third strings. This shape can also be used as a major triad, by playing the fifth, fourth, and third strings only.

Ex 16 is not very common either, but keep your ears open for it because it is used in rock and metal music. This shape is voiced fifth, root and is usually held down with one finger, but depending on the chords that come before and after, it is sometimes easier to hold it down with two fingers. (This is the case for all one finger shapes.) Like i said before the choice is yours.

Examples 17 and 18 have a similar sound that sets them apart from other shapes. Play them on your guitar and you'll see what i mean. Both are voiced root, fifth.

Keep in mind you can add open strings to some of the moveable chord forms. Open strings can really add a full, spacious quality. Example 8, played as an A power chord at the second fret, is often played with the fifth string (A) open. I'll leave it to you to discover which other chords sound good with open strings, just let your ears guide you.

Examples 19 through 21 are all played at the second fret. These shapes are not moveable. The open string is the root and the fretted note is the fifth for all three of them. What we got here is an E power chord followed by an A shape and D shape. The open string in each shape is represented by an "0" above the string. These shapes are used alot in rock and metal.

Ex 22 has the same voicing as Ex 11, only the root note on the third string is now to be played open. This C power chord is not moveable. Open strings can also be added to chords that are played higher up the neck. Ex 6, played as an E power chord at the seventh fret, is sometimes played with the sisth string (E) open. Ex 9 and 10 played as A power chords at the seventh fret, can be played with the fifth string (A) open. Also Ex 8, played all the way up at the 14th fret as an A power chord (one octave higher than the same chord played at the second fret), can be played with the open fifth string.

Examples 23 through 25 are what we call octaves( two notes of the same letter name). Not even the fifth degree is present in these. For each of these, the open string is the lower octave and the fretted note , usually held with the third finger , is one octave higher. The fretted note is to be held down at the seventh fret in all three of these.

Open strings added to chords don't have to be the chord's root note. An open string may be the chord's fifth, third, or any note that adds a pleasing effect to the ear. Open strings can also be adde on the upper strings (E,B, and G strings). Adding open strings usually changes the tone of a chord's typical sound. So, next time you are figuring out songs off cd's, beware of those open strings!