Power Chords

Power chords are the sound of rock guitar: two notes, a root and a fifth, that sound huge through a distorted amp. This chapter is power chords for beginners, from your first open E5 to shapes and octaves you can move anywhere on the neck.

You start with the open E5 and A5, then learn the movable shape with your index and ring fingers, where the fret under your index names the chord. Next you shift that shape between A5, C5, D5 and G5 in A minor, move it across to the A string, and play an E minor riff that mixes power chords with palm-muted open E notes, the classic rock rhythm sound. The last lesson covers octave shapes: the same note twice, with the string in between muted, for big single-note melodies used in rock and funk.

Exercises play in the browser with a click and a driven amp tone, so you hear how tight and punchy each part should be. Climb the tempo ladder, pass the checkpoint at the end of each lesson, and you'll play clean, muted power chord riffs with confidence.