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beginnertechnique

Power Chords

Two-finger power chords on the 5th and 6th strings.

Objective

Play power chords on strings 6 and 5, move them up and down the neck in time with a beat.

Concepts

  • ▸A power chord (5 chord) contains only the root and the perfect 5th — no 3rd, so it is neither major nor minor.
  • ▸Written as X5 (e.g., A5, E5, G5).
  • ▸On string 6: index on fret N, ring/pinky on fret N+2 (one string down). Example: E5 = frets 0 and 2 (string 6 open, string 5 fret 2).
  • ▸On string 5: same shape, root on A string. Example: A5 = open A, string 4 fret 2.
  • ▸Power chords sound massive with distortion because the lack of a 3rd avoids dissonance in high-gain tones.
  • ▸Palm muting + power chords = classic rock/metal chug.

Diagram / Notation

E5 (open)   A5 (open)   G5          C5
e --x--      e --x--      e --x--      e --x--
B --x--      B --x--      B --x--      B --x--
G --x--      G --x--      G --x--      G --x--
D --x--      D --2--      D --5--      D --x--
A --2--      A --0--      A --5--      A --3--
E --0--      E --x--      E --3--      E --x--

Riff example (E5 – G5 – A5 – G5):
E |--0--0--3--5--3--|

Exercises

1.Static power chord tone check
  1. 1.Play E5 (open). Strum only strings 6 and 5 — mute all others with the side of your picking hand.
  2. 2.Both strings must ring at the same volume. Adjust if the 5th (A string) is quieter.
  3. 3.Repeat for A5, D5, G5, C5.
2.Classic rock riff: E5–G5–A5
  1. 1.E5 → G5 → A5 → G5, all on string 6, four downstrokes each.
  2. 2.60 BPM first, 4 beats each chord.
  3. 3.Add a short pause (rest) between G5 and A5 for groove.
  4. 4.Increase to 120 BPM once clean.
3.Palm mute drill
  1. 1.Rest the side of your picking hand lightly on the strings just above the bridge.
  2. 2.Play E5 with palm mute 4× then without mute 4×. Hear the tightness difference.
  3. 3.Pattern: PM-PM-PM-PM open-open-open-open (alternating every 4 beats).

Tips

  • 💡Keep the muted strings silent — place the fingers at a slight angle to touch the strings above.
  • 💡For a three-note power chord, add the octave: root at fret N (string 6), 5th at N+2 (string 5), octave at N+2 (string 4).
  • 💡Tune down a half step (Eb) or whole step (D) to get heavier tone — common in rock and metal.
  • 💡Over-squeezing causes hand fatigue. Use the minimum pressure needed to keep both notes clear.

Sources & Further Study

▶ Video♪ Song◉ Article✦ Lesson
♪YouTube — AC/DC "Back in Black" (power chord anthem)↗▶YouTube — Power chords for beginners↗◉Wikipedia — Power chord↗
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