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Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 2:20 pm
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Paulie G wrote:
cryingstrat wrote:
FirstMeasure wrote:
cryingstrat wrote:
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No one I knew ever used power chords when I was learning in the 70's. We'd have considered it cheating. I don't even remember seeing anyone use them till the hair bands of the 80's.

Um, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, The Who, The Yardbirds, Amboy Dukes (Journey To The Center Of Your Mind is a practice in Power Chording), Zeppelin (Whole Lotta Love Starts off Root Fifth, Then adss the Third on the first repeat).

I was going to say "Guitar Teachers Of The '80s" but I fugured they fired that stuff up about '78 or '79, with the "Teachers" that would show kids Van Halen or Sabbath without showing them music. I have a 'Thing" against those "Teachers". But I should have said Late '70's-80's.


Back then we just used full chords. Didn't even know what a power chord was. I'm sure some were using them back then though. I still use full chords to this day. Even if I use a "powerchord" I still make the whole chord and pick accordingly.

I hate to be the one to let you in on it, but no matter how you hold your hand, if you played Root-Fifth, it's a power chord. The Power Chord is one of the many things Pete Towsend lays claim to. It's been a staple in rock since the fuzz face. It's Been a Staple In Jazz since the '20s, and a Staple in Classical Music since Brahms.

I leave you with one prime example, Iron Man. Watch Iomi play it. You'll see Power Chords from the back row.


Well yeah, if I'm only attacking the root and fifth it's a power chord no matter how many other strings I have fretted. I guess the fact that I've never liked metal plays into it. Even back in the days of Sabbath. I never was a fan. Sabbath bored me. Too simple, I was into the intricacies of YES, Genesis, Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra. Prog and Fusion. I was such a snob. :lol: When guys were bragging about rock guitarists I'd point out Allan Holdsworth or John McLaughlin.


Well actually I believe it was ray and dave davies who put some of the earliest powerchords on record in rock, that what towneshend believes anyway.
Regardless, for me it has to be Johnny Ramone as the great power chord player- indeed very basic but sounded great and almost refreshing everytime

I'd bet Ray Davies played the first Overdriven powerchord on record, but Charlie Christian had already been using it regularly behind Benny Goodman, so were all the other Big Band guitarist. The Root-Fifth makes a good solid Jazz rythm without stepping on the Horns, and Reeds.

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Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 7:29 pm
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Well, they may be one of the most bvasic things to do on the guitar, but if you feel like they make you crappy, then they do make oyu crappy. i f you feel like they do not, then they do not. it depends on your approach. it also depends on how well you can play them!


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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 7:52 am
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I don't think they make me a bad guitarist. I think they make me a like all the guitarists I worship, which I like. I just wanted to see peoples views on power chords, because I love them.

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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 1:02 pm
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well guitar is esentially supposed to be something fun, and if you enjoy doing power chord's, than by all means, go right ahead! now, I think that by using them a lot it's not necesarily going to make you this amazing player, so it would be good to branch off and do some other stuff. But I don't think you should be looked down on for using them as long as you have fun!

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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 1:49 pm
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As long as you use more than 2 fingers to play the bar chords that have their root note on the 6th string people won't think you're a crappy guitarist. I know some guitarists who look at the 2-finger, root note on the 6th string bar chord as a cheater chord, and some won't even consider you a real guitarist if you use that 2 finger chord all the time. I mean there are times where its needed, but some guitarists I know are not impressed with guitarists who use that 2 finger chord no matter how many notes they can play for their solo.

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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 1:59 pm
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As I said, the power chord I use most is

x
x
x
5
5
3

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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 2:23 pm
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bowlfreshener wrote:
As long as you use more than 2 fingers to play the bar chords that have their root note on the 6th string people won't think you're a crappy guitarist. I know some guitarists who look at the 2-finger, root note on the 6th string bar chord as a cheater chord, and some won't even consider you a real guitarist if you use that 2 finger chord all the time. I mean there are times where its needed, but some guitarists I know are not impressed with guitarists who use that 2 finger chord no matter how many notes they can play for their solo.


Hmmm... that's a bummer, 'cuz sometimes a diad is better than a triad. Sometimes that thinner sound is what's called for in a song 'cuz anything more might muddy stuff up. Just like sometimes a single-note riff is better than diads or chords. Arbitrary limitations are kinda silly.


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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 2:27 pm
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yitty79 wrote:
bowlfreshener wrote:
As long as you use more than 2 fingers to play the bar chords that have their root note on the 6th string people won't think you're a crappy guitarist. I know some guitarists who look at the 2-finger, root note on the 6th string bar chord as a cheater chord, and some won't even consider you a real guitarist if you use that 2 finger chord all the time. I mean there are times where its needed, but some guitarists I know are not impressed with guitarists who use that 2 finger chord no matter how many notes they can play for their solo.


Hmmm... that's a bummer, 'cuz sometimes a diad is better than a triad. Sometimes that thinner sound is what's called for in a song 'cuz anything more might muddy stuff up. Just like sometimes a single-note riff is better than diads or chords. Arbitrary limitations are kinda silly.


I agree, if you think you're better than someone just because of the way they play, then you have another thing coming.

I know a lot of people like that.

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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 2:30 pm
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yitty79 wrote:
bowlfreshener wrote:
As long as you use more than 2 fingers to play the bar chords that have their root note on the 6th string people won't think you're a crappy guitarist. I know some guitarists who look at the 2-finger, root note on the 6th string bar chord as a cheater chord, and some won't even consider you a real guitarist if you use that 2 finger chord all the time. I mean there are times where its needed, but some guitarists I know are not impressed with guitarists who use that 2 finger chord no matter how many notes they can play for their solo.


Hmmm... that's a bummer, 'cuz sometimes a diad is better than a triad. Sometimes that thinner sound is what's called for in a song 'cuz anything more might muddy stuff up. Just like sometimes a single-note riff is better than diads or chords. Arbitrary limitations are kinda silly.


As I say in my original response "THERE ARE TIMES WHERE ITS NEEDED". But I know some guitarists who lose respect for guitarists who play their bar chords like that ALL THE TIME or TIMES WHERE ITS NOT NEEDING TO BE PLAYED LIKE THAT. I just mention that I know people who are have that view, though I am more from the "do whatever you want" kind of mindset, but I ALWAYS form bar chords with the root note on the 6th string with more than 2 fingers, and 3 strings, but just because I make notes on all 6 strings doesn't mean I necessarily hit all 6 strings, as I may only hit 3 or 4. Thats the difference.

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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 2:42 pm
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The Power Chord King wrote:
yitty79 wrote:
bowlfreshener wrote:
As long as you use more than 2 fingers to play the bar chords that have their root note on the 6th string people won't think you're a crappy guitarist. I know some guitarists who look at the 2-finger, root note on the 6th string bar chord as a cheater chord, and some won't even consider you a real guitarist if you use that 2 finger chord all the time. I mean there are times where its needed, but some guitarists I know are not impressed with guitarists who use that 2 finger chord no matter how many notes they can play for their solo.


Hmmm... that's a bummer, 'cuz sometimes a diad is better than a triad. Sometimes that thinner sound is what's called for in a song 'cuz anything more might muddy stuff up. Just like sometimes a single-note riff is better than diads or chords. Arbitrary limitations are kinda silly.


I agree, if you think you're better than someone just because of the way they play, then you have another thing coming.

I know a lot of people like that.


Well I thought the topic was "Does using bar chords make me a crappy guitarist?", and I am saying, no using bar chords doesn't make you a crappy guitarist, but some guitarists will see you as a crappy guitarist depending on how you use and form certain chords at certain times. I was just answering the original topic of discussion. If you don't care about what people think, then why do you post a question asking if using bar chords makes you a crappy guitarist? If you don't care what people think, then why worry about being a crappy guitarist for using bar chords?

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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 2:58 pm
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because of what you said

trying to see how many people look down on it

and as far as the people on this forum go

id say its widely accepted.

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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 3:04 pm
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Don't limit yourself, bro. I played acoustic first and mainly for years, and there you've got to play full chords. In fact, I didnt' even know what 5ths were until a friend showed me a while ago, but I knew how to play the major and minor chords 9ths and so forth. However, in a pinch I've long used power chords to be faster but in a blues style which is basically just play the two fat strings of the chord and you'll get the chord. Works fine on electric but not acoustic.

Full-on blues isn't hard. It's an elementary form of music not requiring a lot of reading and complex chord progressions like classical and jazz. Full-on blues basically is like more musically demanding rock. Clapton really is a pure Blues artist in everything he does, but with great accomplishment, and it sets him apart from the easy chord playing guitarists. I'm not putting down power chords in saying that because bands like ZZ Top use 5ths all over the place and it sounds good and they are a blues rock band too.

It's just my opinion but you know I want to be as good as I can be. I like to be able to pick up a guitar and play an open e, an e at 12, an e at 7 know every kind of barre chord and try to get more fluid at it all all the time. I want to get into playing more ZZ Top and so I'm actually going to be playing more 5ths, but also like to play Clapton and BB and Hendrix where full barre chords are needed, although I don't play the Hendrix chord so far.

To play faster from string to string is extremely easy. Your fingers should line up with the frets. If you're going to play a riff in Blues in "c" in the "BB box" then you would have fingers positioned for frets 8, 9, 10, 11. Like, start with your index finger planted on b 8, and your ring finger on g 10. Strike g 10 and give it a full bend and then strike b 8, b 11, e 8, e11 and just jam and you'll be ripping out some classic, smoking blues riffs without reading any tab or music just by experimenting. Playing every day is how you get faster and cleaner.

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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 3:10 pm
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Make the chords however you want, I was just letting you know that some will have issues with it. Others won't. Who cares?

The time spent typing on forums takes away from guitar playing...

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