Thursday, April 30, 2020

Movable Power Chords, pt. I


One of the most wonderful things about playing the guitar is being able to take a single shape for a chord or scale and move that shape to a different location create a new chord or scale. A single shape can instantaneously turn into 12 different chords or scales!

A feeling of excitement is almost unanimously felt when students learn how to start playing moveable closed power chords. Power chords are neither major nor minor as they contain only the Root and 5th of the chord (omitting the 3rd) and are generally referred to as “5” chord because of it. The root (or main note) of the chord is generally played with the 1st finger. As a normal course of study I introduce students to the two finger form of the power chord which is played on the 6th string.
Next month I’ll get into how to properly finger these chords so students can adapt their “super power’!