Holding a powerchord?


jiujitsu_jesus
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jiujitsu_jesus
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07/03/2006 5:18 am
Basically, when you're playing rhythm, you call them power chords. When you're playing lead, you call 'em diads or double-stops. ;)
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# 1
suicidalmoose
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suicidalmoose
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07/03/2006 8:54 am
Originally Posted by: 6strngs_2hmbkrstechnically speaking, a chord is three or more notes. a power chord only uses two notes (a root and a 5th). Power chords are mainly used when you're playing with plenty of distortion due to the fact that with alot of distortion, playing three or more notes can be kinda jumbled sounding, so power chords only play two and it sounds good. most modern rock uses powerchords almost exclusively in their music. And yes, you can technically play a power chord on any string(s) you want to, but I don't think most would call it a powerchord if it were on, say, the e and B strings. At that point it'd just be two notes that sound good together :cool: maybe jolly can give a better description.



Only 2 notes? most powerchords i come by are structured like so

7 9
7 or 9
5 7

so these aren't powerchords?

sure there are metallica riffs like in for whom the bell tolls that use powerchords like so

2 4
0 and 2


Or have i totally confused myself.
# 2
jiujitsu_jesus
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jiujitsu_jesus
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07/03/2006 11:11 am
Originally Posted by: suicidalmooseOnly 2 notes? most powerchords i come by are structured like so

7 9
7 or 9
5 7

so these aren't powerchords?

sure there are metallica riffs like in for whom the bell tolls that use powerchords like so

2 4
0 and 2


Or have i totally confused myself.


No, you're right - triads can be power chords as well. In fact, the first "power chord song" my teacher taught me was "Anthem for the Year 2000" by Silverchair, which uses three-note power chords.
"It's all folk music... I ain't never heard no horse sing!"
- Attributed variously to Leadbelly and Louis Armstrong

If at first you don't succeed, you are obviously not Chuck Norris.

l337iZmz r@wk o.K!!!??>
# 3
6strngs_2hmbkrs
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6strngs_2hmbkrs
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07/12/2006 4:37 am
well, technically a power chord only has two different notes. such as:

---
---
---
---
-2-
-0-

but you can play it with three notes like so:

---
---
---
-2-
-2-
-0-

because that second "2" on the 4th string is an E, which is the same exact note as the "0" on the 6th string, so you are playing a root, a fifth, and then another root. so technically it's only two different notes because you're playing the same note in two different places.

now, if you add a third different note, it's not really a power chord anymore, it's a triad. which is what most chords are.
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# 4
suicidalmoose
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suicidalmoose
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07/12/2006 8:45 am
Originally Posted by: 6strngs_2hmbkrswell, technically a power chord only has two different notes. such as:

---
---
---
---
-2-
-0-

but you can play it with three notes like so:

---
---
---
-2-
-2-
-0-

because that second "2" on the 4th string is an E, which is the same exact note as the "0" on the 6th string, so you are playing a root, a fifth, and then another root. so technically it's only two different notes because you're playing the same note in two different places.

now, if you add a third different note, it's not really a power chord anymore, it's a triad. which is what most chords are.


cheers man
# 5
6strngs_2hmbkrs
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6strngs_2hmbkrs
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07/12/2006 9:11 am
Originally Posted by: suicidalmoosecheers man

anytime! :cool:
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# 6

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