Power chords & palm mute rock rhythm, one shape
A power chord is a root and the note a fifth above it — no third, so it is neither major nor minor and it stays clean under distortion. One shape moves anywhere on the neck, which makes it the bridge from open chords to barre. You will name each one with Notes on the neck.
Set Tone to Distorted in the practice bar to hear these the way a rock band plays them; Acoustic works too.
The shape
Index on the root, ring finger two frets up on the next string. Add the pinky beside the ring finger for the octave — same chord, fuller. Only the strings you fret should sound: the side of the index lightly touches the strings above, and the strumming hand stays small.
G5, root on string 6, fret 3 — two notes, then with the octave:
e|---|---- B|---|---- G|---|---- D|---|-5-- A|-5-|-5-- E|-3-|-3--
Root on string 6
Slide the same grip; the root names the chord. E5 is the open string with the shape at fret 2.
e|------------- B|------------- G|------------- D|-2--5--7--5-- A|-2--5--7--5-- E|-0--3--5--3--
Root on string 5
The same shape one string higher. Mute string 6 with the tip of the index finger.
e|------------- B|------------- G|-2--5--7--5-- D|-2--5--7--5-- A|-0--3--5--3-- E|-------------
Palm muting
Rest the edge of the picking hand on the strings right where they leave the bridge. Too far forward and the note dies to a thud; right at the saddle it keeps its pitch and loses its ring — the “chug”. Downstrokes only, eighth notes, to the click.
e|------------------------- B|------------------------- G|------------------------- D|------------------------- A|-2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2-- E|-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--
Mute, then let it ring
Rock rhythm is the contrast: chug the low E, then lift the palm and let a chord ring. PM sits over the muted notes in most books.
e|------------------|------- B|------------------|------- G|------------------|------- D|------------------|-5--7-- A|-2--2--2--2--2--2-|-5--7-- E|-0--0--0--0--0--0-|-3--5--
A first riff
Two bars, original to this room: chug E5 on the eighths, ring G5 and A5, chug again, end on D5 with the root on string 5.
e|------------------|------------------- B|------------------|------------------- G|------------------|----------------7-- D|-------------5--7-|-------------5--7-- A|-2--2--2--2--5--7-|-2--2--2--2--5--5-- E|-0--0--0--0--3--5-|-0--0--0--0--3-----
When it is steady at 100 BPM, take it to Backing band with a rock loop in E. The shape is the top of the E-shape barre — add the third and you have F major.
Ready when
Move on when all of these are true on a normal day, not your best one:
- You can change between any two power chords on strings 6 and 5 without a gap at 90 BPM.
- Muted eighths stay even and pitched, with no open-string ring between chords.
- You can play the riff above twice through with the click, muted and open notes clearly different.