2 vs 3 note power chords

[liquidsmoke]

I have weak wrists and never mastered using that third/octave note, is this at all common? I can't see doing it for palm muted up down chugging metal parts but lately I've been thinking I should for sustained down stroke riffing. Thoughts? It would probably take me a few months to master(yes I suck) but at this point I think I could probably handle it without too much extra pain. When you hear 2 note power chords do you wince and wonder why they aren't playing that third note to get a fuller sound? This has been on my mind lately. My guitar playing is very basic but I feel like I should make sure I'm playing up to a certain standard now that I'm actually writing songs and in a real band.

(I realize that technically a chord isn't a chord unless it has 3 notes or more but I'm not sure what to call a 2 note power chord if I don't call it a chord)

[LogicalFrank]

A three note power chord is actually only two notes anyway. The third note is the same as the first note only in a higher octave so it doesn't count. People know what you mean when you say power chord; it's a fine term. It seems to me like it'd be worth your time to learn to play the full power chord if only to get your wrist to the point where it's strong enough to do so.

Also, it might be a bit easier on you if you use your pinky to fret the other note if you use your pinky rather than barring both high notes w/ your ring finger. Just a suggestion, I hold my power chords w/ just two fingers myself.

[liquidsmoke]

Also, it might be a bit easier on you if you use your pinky to fret the other note if you use your pinky rather than barring both high notes w/ your ring finger. Just a suggestion, I hold my power chords w/ just two fingers myself.

I have to use my pinky for the octave note. When I bar it my hand is in an uncomfortable position which leads to wrist pain. I have to keep my hand in a perfect line with my wrist to avoid pain which is part of the reason I never learned to play singer songwriter type chords on my acoustic years back when I had one. People who have been taking regular guitar lessons for a month are better than me at guitar in certain ways. I'm a good heavy riff writer though, I think. I'm weak on hammer ons, pull offs and vibrato but I just keep working at it.

[justinhedrick]

I play in drop d and sometime i actually play 3 finger bar chords kind of weird. let's say i'm playing at the 5th fret: i will bar the top 2 strings (the low D and the A), then i will use my ring finger for the 7th fret on the higher d string. then i will use my pinky on the 8th fret of the g string.

it sounds pretty cool to me, and i'm sure there is a name for it.

[johnny problem]

I don't think you should look at it as a 2 vs 3 note type thing.  Two note powerchords and three note powerchords have their places and it just depends on how you want to use it in a riff.

[neighbor664]

A two note chord is still a chord. It is a DIAD. A three note chord is a TRIAD. A power chord is a common enough term that most anyone would know what you meant. You could also refer to it by the intervals involved. A "power" chord is a 5th chord.

I find it amusing that we call them "power chords" when in fact they are the weakest and require the least ability of all chords. If knowledge is power .........bla bla bla.............  

Maybe empower chords would be more appropriate name.
As in: "even if you don't know much, simply knowing power chords can be very empowering as a player."

[RacerX]

I find it amusing that we call them "power chords" when in fact they are the weakest and require the least ability of all chords. If knowledge is power .........bla bla bla.............   

Powerchord + Powerslide = WIN.

[LogicalFrank]

They are called power chords because they sound awesome when you play them through high powered amplifiers.

[dogfood]

drop tuning =  easy 3 note (triad) power chord.  problem solved. 

[Slow]

I use two fingers, I use my pinky to hit another fifth up. It's still a triad, and a power chord, it's just covering more range.

[eyeprod]

good thread. I agree with mostly all of what's been said. I think a chord is technically 3 notes or more: the triad...based off a major scale, a root, 3rd and a 5th. Power chords remove the 3rd, so it makes for a nice neutral chord that's not leaning towards major or minor. I think empowered is indeed a more descriptive term.

To me, two note chords are great with a full band, but I often end up defaulting to 3 notes when using power chords. I like the sound of that upper octave. Sometimes I like to invert the chord and go higher, or find other ways to break up the monotony while discovering new areas to fool around in. As guitar players we often spend a lot of time playing by ourselves, and bad habits of playing too many notes and parts are almost unavoidable. I learned that you don't need to play so many notes when other guys are playing along.

[Discö Rice]

I was about to post that a chord is two or more notes, turns out by definition it's three or more. Is two notes just a harmony? Hmm...

[spookstrickland]

I like using the Sus4 power chords like Pete Townsend.

[giantchris]

Also, it might be a bit easier on you if you use your pinky to fret the other note if you use your pinky rather than barring both high notes w/ your ring finger. Just a suggestion, I hold my power chords w/ just two fingers myself.

I have to use my pinky for the octave note. When I bar it my hand is in an uncomfortable position which leads to wrist pain. I have to keep my hand in a perfect line with my wrist to avoid pain which is part of the reason I never learned to play singer songwriter type chords on my acoustic years back when I had one. People who have been taking regular guitar lessons for a month are better than me at guitar in certain ways. I'm a good heavy riff writer though, I think. I'm weak on hammer ons, pull offs and vibrato but I just keep working at it.

Other people have answered but I thought I'd throw in some other possibilities.

Do you have really small hands?  It sounds like if you are dead set on using the octave you could always try a short scale length or make sure your action is low (less pressure might help?).  Getting a guitar with a really small neck might also help.

Pretty sure a 2 note chord is called a diad.  Usually see this listed as D5 A5.

[dogfood]

I use two fingers, I use my pinky to hit another fifth up. It's still a triad, and a power chord, it's just covering more range.

That is what I call the "Foo Fighter Chord"

[liquidsmoke]

Do you have really small hands?  It sounds like if you are dead set on using the octave you could always try a short scale length or make sure your action is low (less pressure might help?).  Getting a guitar with a really small neck might also help.

My hands are about average size for a guy I think. Lately I've mostly been playing my Epi Paul Junior Special which has a fairly easy to play neck. My SG is another story. I have the action as low as it can be but I tune in A and need clarity on the low notes so it's nowhere near as low as it could be.
I am not dead set on using the octave. Yesterday I was switching back and forth between the diad and triad power chords and I could barely hear the difference. I've decided that I should master the triad but I probably won't use it that much for metal because the extra effort it requires does not pay off with an equal amount of extra tone.

Thanks for all of the thoughts and perspectives everyone.

[xander face]

i think if you want to take yourself seriously as a guitarist you oughta try to strengthen those hands man...i got in the habit of playing the chromatic scale starting on every fret up and down the neck every time i practiced a few years ago...that'll help your hands get in good guitar-playing shape QUICK...

as for 2 vs. 3 notes...the only 2-note powerchords i ever play are the root and the 5th...leaving the 3rd out and giving it this kinda piercing tone.  If i just play the 1st and 3rd it sounds...weak.

[jibberish]

i got used to trying to make my guitar as full sounding as possible. therefore, unless it is for a special purpose, i prefer the 3 string stuff with the octave = fuller
ALSO, with 3 string chords, you can usually set the chord with 2 then walk the third to get a progression on a walking note=way easier than re-fingering each individual differently shaped chord.
(not true all the time, EXAMPLE:working on carol of the bells and due to the walking note i have to heinously reposition my hand through that progression while still holding that one note for the alternate pick, every finger gets to hold it down once..ok im lying , but there are a few switches)

flippy flop from E maj /emin
a maj/a7. (yes you can imply all this with 2 strings, but you can set it solid with 3)

to me, 2 string stuff is like for alternate picking progressions or of course when someone else's song uses it that im playing

[liquidsmoke]

i think if you want to take yourself seriously as a guitarist you oughta try to strengthen those hands man...i got in the habit of playing the chromatic scale starting on every fret up and down the neck every time i practiced a few years ago...that'll help your hands get in good guitar-playing shape QUICK...

as for 2 vs. 3 notes...the only 2-note powerchords i ever play are the root and the 5th...leaving the 3rd out and giving it this kinda piercing tone.  If i just play the 1st and 3rd it sounds...weak.

I was playing 3 note chords the other day in my songs for awhile, using my pinkie for that 3rd string and it didn't take long before my wrist started hurting. GRRRRR....
The thing is, I can barely hear the difference so I've decided to just not do it.

The root and the 5th are what I play as far as I know. I don't know what you mean by 1st and 3rd.

[LogicalFrank]

Major in minor chords have the root, a third and the fifth. The root and the fifth are the same regardless but the third determines the major or minor tonality. Major chords have a major third, which is four semi-tones higher than the root, and minor chords have a--you guessed it--minor third, which is only three semi-tones higher than the root. Power chords exclude the third and hence are neither major nor minor.

Also, a "three note" power chord is not a triad because there are actually only two notes, one of them played in two different octaves.

[VOLVO)))]

Oh, LogicalFrank, you so logical...

[liquidsmoke]

Major in minor chords have the root, a third and the fifth. The root and the fifth are the same regardless but the third determines the major or minor tonality. Major chords have a major third, which is four semi-tones higher than the root, and minor chords have a--you guessed it--minor third, which is only three semi-tones higher than the root. Power chords exclude the third and hence are neither major nor minor.

Also, a "three note" power chord is not a triad because there are actually only two notes, one of them played in two different octaves.

This is over my head but thanks for the info.
I was playing the low root note, the 5th up from that and the octave note of the root, I think. And it was hurting my wrist and considering that I can barely hear any difference(keep in mind I'm going through a fairly high gain Laney with the gain knobs all the way up) I'm just going to stick to using the root and the 5th for "power chords", for now.

[Hemisaurus]

Tune your guitar DADDAD and do single finger 6 string power chords, tip from a bassplayer

[justinhedrick]

Tune your guitar DADDAD and do single finger 6 string power chords, tip from a bassplayer

i've done this before. sounds weird, but is really helpful for overdubs when your song is in the key of D.

also, you could try DADGAD and play 2 finger 6 string power chords: just put your pinky or ring finger 2 frets up from where you have your first finger and BAM, rock power!

[eyeprod]

The whole 1st, 3rd, and 5th thing needs to be explained. It's easy to get it.........This music theory chord shit is all based off of a major scale. That's the starting point. You alter it, say flatten the 3rd, and it becomes a minor scale. Chords are built from the notes of a scale. So it's the same thing with chords. Start with a major chord, which is a 1, 3, and 5. Flatten the 3 and it becomes a minor chord.

It's the good ol' Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do. It's not a hawkwind record, haha...... Do, is the 1. Re, the 2. Mi, the 3, and so on....easy enough right? So, if you don't already know it use your ear to find the major scale on your instrument. That will show you where to find the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th, etc