Blues scale: E power cord sounds the same on 2nd and 4th fret

Hi GT friends,

I'm learning the 12 bar blues that starts out with the 1st position alternating between two E power chords: open E plus 2nd fret of A and then open E plus 4th fret of A.

My questions is this: Due to the open E sounding so strong and "overpowering" both of the other notes on the A string, they sound VERY similar resulting in something that doesn't feel like a progression. I've tried strumming in a way that plucks the E slightly less than the A in an attempt to tone it down but I don't believe that's how a power chord works. What am I doing wrong here?

This actually applies to the second part (position IV) when I'm doing the same thing with an A power chord between the 2nd and 4th fret - these sound too close to differentiate.

Any thoughts/insight is appreciated!

**EDIT: I wasn't sure if my question belonged in 'Guitar Basics' or somewhere else but if so, please let me know for future posts!

The bass note is naturally going to sound a little louder because it has more mass & it's an open string (more natural harmonics) constantly ringing.  Another issue common to beginners is not fretting the notes on the upper string solidly enough to make them ring clearly enough to be heard.

There are 2 ways to counteract this & balance the volume of the notes on both strings:

Use much lighter picking technique, just graze over the top of the strings, do not dig in to the plane of the string so far.

Lightly palm mute with your picking hand palm on at least the lower string of the diad riff.

I cover playing this riff in this tutorial.

https://guitartricks.com/tutorial/189

Hope that helps!

That is helpful. Thanks, Christopher. I had a feeling it might be a picking technique but I'll be more mindful of both picking and fretting to see if I can get this powerchord to sound a little more even.

Power chord with root and 6th? Interesting.

@Rumble Walrus I may have phrased it incorrectly but the first video at the link that Christopher shared shows the first two notes I'm referencing.

It's a pretty bog standard blues shuffle

No worries sir!  I was thinking that maybe I was missing out on something.

I mean, why not?  I'm always up for trying something new.  Why not a "not-normal" power chord?  Trying stuff like that can sometimes lead to new sounds and other inspirations.

I'll enjoy noodling with it.

Thanks!

Rumble