Rock Chords
When playing Rock or Blues styles, guitarists commonly use chords where only two strings are played. These two note chords are called Rock chords. Sometimes they are also called Fifth chords or Power chords. Sometimes they are also called Fifth chords or Power chords. The following diagrams show the two string rock chord shapes for a root 6 G chord and a root 5 C chord.
Root 6
Root 5
Notice that these chord shapes are derived from the root 6 and root 5 bar chord shapes. Power chords are most commonly played on an electric guitar with distortion. Distortion is created by turning the amplifier volume up high or using a distortion effect pedal or distortion switch on the amp itself. Power chords sound better if they are played with only down strums. If distortion is being used they are quite often played with only one down strum per bar (q).
Play the following progression using only root 6 rock chords and one strum per bar. Remember only play two strings.
Play the following progression using root 6 rock chords with this rhythm pattern.
Play the previous two chord progressions again using root 6 rock chords for the first two bars and root 5 rock chords for the second two bars, e.g., in example 185 play the G and A chord as root 6 shapes and play the C and D chords as root 5 shapes.
Play the following progression using root 5 rock chords and this two bar rhythm pattern.
Use root 6 rock chords in the following progression. Slide between the chord changes (i.e., maintain pressure on the strings). Play the Ab chord on the "+" sections of the fourth beats.
