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TJames  
26 Dec 2007 16:53 | Quote
Joined: 23 Dec 2007
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Hey guys. Quick question. In tabs when you see this:
e------------
b------------
g------------
d---5--------
a---5--------
e---5--------

does that mean you hold down the 5th fret on the last 3 strings at the same time and strum? Is that a power chord? Or do you strum them 1 at a time?
Tilikidis  
26 Dec 2007 17:44 | Quote
Joined: way back
Canada
Karma
thats a powerchord. it would sound better if you were in drop d though. if you wanted to strum that it would be tabbed like this
-----------
-----------
-----------
---------5-
-----5-----
-5---------
TJames  
26 Dec 2007 18:19 | Quote
Joined: 23 Dec 2007
United States
Karma
Oh, I thought a power chord would be like 3,5,5 instead of 5,5,5. also, what would the finger placements be on a chord like that?
soy.el.che  
26 Dec 2007 18:27 | Quote
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i thnk a powerchord is any "chord" that use 2-3 strngs... correct me if im wrong
GuitarBoy666  
26 Dec 2007 18:37 | Quote
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Canada
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"5,5,5" would be a "barre" chord.
You take one finger (does not matter which one) and you place it across all three of the strings, on the fifth fret

E|------------
B|------------
G|------------
D|-4-5-6-7-8------------2-3-4-5-6-E.----
A|-4-5-6-7-8------------2-3-4-5-6-T.----
E|-2-3-4-5-6------------2-3-4-5-6-C.----
Power Chord - Barre Chord

All normal 3-note power chords are "5 or 5th" chords.
I am not quite sure what barres are, I think they can differ.
Doz  
26 Dec 2007 20:45 | Quote
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Barre chords just mean you have at least one finger on more than one string, held down on the same fret.

E 5
B 5
G 6
D 7
A 7
E 5

Is a barre chord, it's power chord equivilant are just the top 2 or 3 notes.

I guess you are using the same barre technique with those chords but they're power chords in a drop tuning.
GuitarBoy666  
26 Dec 2007 21:49 | Quote
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Canada
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You can also play them in standard, but it sounds crappier.
But if you play one the 3,4, and 5 it is better
league  
26 Dec 2007 21:51 | Quote
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A power chord is only two notes;the root and the fifth.Except for drop D which uses three notes.I think.Does a drop D have three notes? Because a power chord should only have two notes.
Guitarslinger124  
27 Dec 2007 01:05 | Quote
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power chords are a root and fifth and you can add the octave. a power chord in drop D tuning is also just a root and a fifth.



this is not a power chord.
E:---
B:---
G:---
D:-5-
A:-5-
E:-5-
however in drop D tuning using the same fingering:
E:-
B:-
G:-
D:-5 this is a power chord. it is also G5.
A:-5
D:-5


barre chords are like what doz said...when you hold down more than one note with one finger.
Doz  
27 Dec 2007 05:35 | Quote
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league says:
power chord is only two notes;the root and the fifth.Except for drop D which uses three notes.I think.Does a drop D have three notes? Because a power chord should only have two notes.


The tuning of your instrument does not affect the amount or type of notes you play in a chord. But you are sort of right in saying it has two notes... since 2 of the notes are really the same note (just one is an octave higher). But yeah, that note is optional, but gives a more full sound.
KicknGuitar  
27 Dec 2007 09:57 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
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Yup, the trick is to remember a Power Chord (5th) has two types of notes. This doesn't mean you are limited to having a total of only two notes actually being played.
TJames says:
e------------
b------------
g------------
d---5--------
a---5--------
e---5--------

As it's been pointed out, usually those three frets are played together as a power chord with Drop D tuning. I would double check the tab to make sure the E string wasn't intended to be tuned down to a D. The three notes however, make an A/Dsus4 in standard tuning which isn't "typical" but definitely has a pleasant sound. All depends if the Tab stated what tuning it's in(I've seen people slip on that).
league  
27 Dec 2007 14:08 | Quote
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The first 5th chords(power chords) I learned were really difficult to play.As a matter of fact I'll check it out right now.
blackholesun  
31 Dec 2007 09:50 | Quote
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I've seen a few tabs that are in drop D tuning because it states it at the start of the tab but the tab still looks like:



E-----------
B-----------
G-----------
D-----------
A-----------
E-----------


This is because the lowest E string is called the low E string, even if it is tuned to a D. Seems really stupid I think but it's something you might need to take into account.

league says:
A power chord is only two notes;the root and the fifth.


Could it also be the root and another interval, such as a major 3rd? I know traditional power chords are the root and the 5th, but this is just a two note interval (a diad), in the same way that the root and the major 3rd is a diad. Even if it isn't, I still think it's useful to think about when talking about power chords. Say, if you were a punk guitarist, and you were thrashing at some 2 string root-fifth power chords with quite a bit of distortion, then you could play a two string root-3rd interval for the next chord in the progression to show a bit of tonal variety, without playing a 6 string barre chord which could sound muddy due to the distortion.
Rshred  
31 Dec 2007 10:01 | Quote
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blackholesun says:

Could it also be the root and another interval, such as a major 3rd?


if you add a major third to lets say an A5 [power chord] then that will change the chord to A major. and the same works if you were to add the minor 3rd-it would make the chord minor. and there is no such thing as a major or minor power chord...thats why powers are so awesome; they are ambiguous and arent major or minor. you can however add the octave to the chord and it will stay the same. here's an example of what i mean:


A5 A5
E:---|---------------------------|
B:---|---------------------------|
G:---|---------------------------|
D:---|-7--add the octave and the-|
A:-7-|-7- chord doesnt change.---|
E:-5-|-5-------------------------|
A major A major
E:------------------------------|-------|
B:------------------------------|-2(C#)-|
G:-6(C#) adding the major 3rd---|-2(A)--|
D:-7(A) changes it to an Amaj. |-2(E)--|
A:-7(E)-------------------------|-0(A)--|
E:-5(A)-------------------------|-------|
KicknGuitar  
1 Jan 2008 14:28 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
Karma: 1
Rshred, blackholesun was talking about diads, not triads. He asked if you could play a third diad instead of the fifth to add some flavor and still be called a power chord.
I have never heard of a third power chord, only fifths. I would say no.
The answer to playing it is simply yes. In the end there are no rules. If it sounds good, it is good, but you already know that.
I would state, A power chord can only contain Perfect Firsts and Perfect Fifths.
Rshred  
1 Jan 2008 17:17 | Quote
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haha...i must have read it wrong. apologies all around...i got confused and thought he meant to add the 3rd to a 5th chord...truly sorry for my misunderstanding. although, according to dimebag darrell (though he wasnt much of a theory nut) a 3rd diad is a power chord as well. he used them quite often and referred to them as power chords.
Doz  
1 Jan 2008 17:31 | Quote
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I think the power refers to their just being two notes, so I reckon you can use thirds instead.
KicknGuitar  
1 Jan 2008 23:17 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
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Haha, no worries Rshred.
I have never heard someone say play me a power chord and the guy threw out a Major 7th Diad. To me, it seems to lose the sense of "power" but f Dime bag did it...
Doz  
2 Jan 2008 06:00 | Quote
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I sort of agree with you KicknGuitar... I suppose some of the power comes from the guitar tone though.
Rshred  
2 Jan 2008 12:24 | Quote
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KicknGuitar says:
but f Dime bag did it...

haha...
blackholesun  
2 Jan 2008 12:40 | Quote
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KicknGuitar says:
I have never heard someone say play me a power chord and the guy threw out a Major 7th Diad.


I doubt someone would say "play me a power chord" though. They would probably say "play something in A" and then you would play what you want - full 6 string barre chord, open chord, power chord, 3 note triad, 2 note diad, whatever would suit the song best. I know a power chord is a root fifth diad, but a beginner asked a question about power chords and I thought it would be a good idea to meantion other diads that you could use instead of just a basic power chord to add a bit of variety. Sorry for any confusion caused.
blackholesun  
2 Jan 2008 20:01 | Quote
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blackholesun says:
Could it also be the root and another interval, such as a major 3rd?


When I wrote that I wasn't asking what a power chord was. I was trying to get the beginner to think for himself and say "Oh, yeah. I suppose you could do that". The first chords I learnt were 2 string power chords, and without much more skill you could extend that to two string diads.
KicknGuitar  
3 Jan 2008 14:08 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
Karma: 1
Haha, I understand you now Blackholesun. It was a little odd since you didn't really seem like you were stating something. Right after (what I now know is) the rhetorical question you sounded unsure, "I know traditional..."
Well at least now,
"It's All Good."
missy361092  
12 Feb 2008 19:26 | Quote
Posts: 1
Hi all i'm new to this!

This might be a really dumb question but I don't get this:

e------------
b------------
g------------
d---5--------
a---5--------
e---5--------

I underastand the TABs where they actually show you with a dot where to put your finger - ive got that down pat but when i look up songs etc they are all displayed like this and i dont understand. Can anyone help?
ninjamaster  
12 Feb 2008 20:52 | Quote
Joined: way back
Karma
hi all, I am not new to this

e------------
b------------
g------------
d--------5---
a-----5------
e--5---------

is called an arpeggio

e-----=-----
b-----=-----
g-----=--0--
d--5--=--0--
a--5--=--0--
e--5--=-----


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