Power chords

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",,,"rn.'ii,, ,.s r nrrll.r.,qliqlypl- cht_rrds are ofi en *n,r*a i o nr. .,'

poucr.cirords _ thc most (.orrrnon t11re ol.ulrit.L isKr()\\rr rs tlre .filih.. T, nl;,v ir nnf rrilpJ'fr",,'",,

,tnote olr an) lr:rss slring ,rnd atkl o ,,,,,",nr.',r, l, u,on tlrc rrd jiu.errt Iriglreistr.irrq ,."" fr.tbor"r,.'

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FTFTII GE4,IT,To highlight the clifferernr,,"",,,i,i.,,i";'ff l',:l#",:;l:::'I;J,",,;rg]rt

bLrr t.lror,l setluence (Ftc r, cD TRAcK 2s),hrst using rionnal ooen, r

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'ptrssing' fifths taken f ro,,i," r,"* .i,rr,iililJ:=l tlrc ttrinur scrrlt

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.r. al,], also rlcrnoristrates one ol.lhc rrrainilo\irntages ol rrsing ffftlrs _ it.s ,,,,,,.h

"nrin, t,,,,,1.1lasl pitssiug c,lrords he,hrceu tt " ,n"1,,

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,,,,"Flrperirr etrt bv c.onvertinplrri rvirh .r;, ,.r,rrjr',n,1

t""tt tlrat 1ou alre'tl1

. Rot,k r,o,,,r, oiii,l';o'iiJlil:: fi:f, :|lli'j,lick,sablrrllr specialisetl in songs brr.erl t_rn rifls

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n"ii,,*,i ii," :iil',:::: porverfi rr s.r rr rtr *c,.

,r,-,, ,,ilir l, ,;i;;fri:, ,liln I"'?illllX,"u,octrtres qiuing soliditl and u.cirlht to f t," ru,,n,l.,. D'r]nng the '80s, t rna, U."fro,l-ri";0",,

"ra,Me'tallica used fifths in their songs, but oftenr irrictl tl rr..slr;rpr. Lx rrsi nq auqnrer rted r ir rt.reas,,tl )or dirnirrislrcd rr".l,,""dt"ffltl,. ," "r",,,.'"

j"li..jiortl lers llmiliar sorrrrd. The rrert erarnpir,.

Whether you,re into grunge, ind.ie, meta,Ichords a,re wha,trirth s, ;;;, ;#il,'_T;.ttffi flff

15 B5ic5/D5

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MutingA lmost aII power4lchords use lessthan six strings,but if you're playinEroct{, you don't wantto be have to avoidall the open ones.Use any fingerswhich aren'tGngering thecunent chord tomute unwantedopen notes by justresting the fingersover the strinEs _enough to stop themsounding, but notenough to actuallyrret them-

lrilr.frrtSeatfl€-styte rhythm demo (fig4). This can atso Oe useO as a"backing track to improvise arock solo over-

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A ciord pattern, dafetl first asoPen chords, then as powerrnords, tfien as power chordswnn passing tones (fig l)Ex-fit r-lifnPover chord ritt (frg Z)

!l-i7tr53r,llehilica-style attered fi fthdlords (Rg 0&tikrc: Bieharct Baneft

Shom here are aselection of powerchords that appeari! this moDth,sdemos. Note thatthe ffrst two ean beDoved to variousfret positiolswithout changitgshape. f've alsolncluded twopoaitlotrs of the Apentatoric mi[orscale, which car beused to improvise asolo over thebacking track.

or puu.k, poEe!expla,ius hor t;u um

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It o^open chor

iouporver chr :

lns E

passing p(

Ls example shtu.rerthg the chr

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l!s.s is a tJ4rical -h@ fttave note 4 t

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lrrc a. cn TRACK 2Z) is trprcrrl o. _

lrr,tlre eirrly'gOs lle *.l,ul,_ S_.,:,srrrrrrd.r,ras Lrased on liftl,. t.r;'r. - _Pear I J.r,n Soundqar.den _,,,i i,;.,.:,:::r:1

sor.rnd tLirrr tlicir.rnrt.,i t,.-iilso tenlle(l to strutn rrsiriq r1,,,, r, ,r,.

nrtlrer tlrln.iust do\\xstroi'e, f i,. _

l.t:1..? rnacx z4)illrrrtr.;rt|s rlr:. _

1s;ti rt; l bat kinq tr;rtk lor soloirr_ -naturirl minor sc.ale {see lretl,,x, .- ii?

iFr+iffiH#fA5 (opel)

ffill/lllio6*t I

9l I ii)*ll-ffi.m I,entatonic

ffiD5/E5/F5/G5

tTTilr

ffic5 (opetl)

TechniqueI O_d:n, your hand stretch to rt€ srI of the fret position rat - rrers;;;;;;#'jJ;:;:Jt"t *progress up the fingerboard

.?+-:d,t!;i:i."H."g,Jr=you change fret position

-8, .?:li,l;,_'ffi I'Jff f HiJ*o

o --ulwanted open strings with theprcking,hand. See the separate bor jrliP: ot how to mute unwanted opr.:strings with the fretting hand.

-s netal riff lrs

:e up ud do

:iLE J. SEpTa

E5 (open)

Am pentatoric

SEPTEMBER r995 -..