Basic explanation of power chords?

Question

can someone please explain to me about power chords? are they where you have your first finger right across a fret and the other four below? or is tht bar chords? im so confused! and can all open chords also be played as power chords and vice versa? or is it just chords like Fsharp etc tht are power chords? any ifo plz thanks!!!! :)

Answer 1

This term is only used in guitar playing.

Look up the fingering for F major. The one with all six strings used and the finger barred across all the strings. That is a power chord fingering. This particular fingering can be used for F# major if you move everything up by one fret, G major if you move everything up by another, and so on.

Hence, a power chord is a chord fingering which you can use for any key, depending on which frets you put your fingers on (the shape of the hand is the same). Power chords are important for playing weird chords like A flat major.

Important power chord examples: F major, F minor, Eb major, Eb minor

Answer 2

Its a lazy mans bar chord. Improper technique IMO.

Answer 3

Power chords are modal chords and do not have the 3rd not included ( on a C chord you would just play C & G together without an E). Power chords is an expression most musicians do not use. Its an expression used by people who dont understand music and to keep using it will always confuse u. If you realy want to understand music theory, study it properly or forget about it and just play by ear.