Guitar Note #3: Power Chords
Putting our landmark notes to work.
If you worked through Guitar Note #1 and Guitar Note #2, we learned some landmark notes on the Low E and A strings.
At the time, they were just notes.
Low E String: G A B C D E
A String: C D E F G A
For a long time that’s all they were to me too.
Then one day it finally clicked.
Those notes aren’t just landmarks. They’re where power chords live.
So What’s A Power Chord?
Honestly, I learned power chords before I knew what a power chord actually was.
Somebody showed me a shape. I moved it around the neck. I learned a bunch of songs.
That was about it.
The Simple Two-Note Version
This is a G5 power chord.
Notice the first note?
3rd fret on the Low E string.
That should look familiar. Back in Guitar Note #1 we learned that the 3rd fret on the Low E string is G.
Root note = G
Chord = G5
The root names the chord. Wherever your first finger lands on the Low E string, that note becomes the name of the power chord.
The Shape Never Changes
This was one of those lightbulb moments for me.
The shape stays exactly the same. Only the starting point changes.
| Low E Fret | Root Note | Power Chord |
|---|---|---|
| Open | E | E5 |
| 1 | F | F5 |
| 2 | F# / Gb | F#5 / Gb5 |
| 3 | G | G5 |
| 4 | G# / Ab | G#5 / Ab5 |
| 5 | A | A5 |
| 7 | B | B5 |
| 8 | C | C5 |
| 10 | D | D5 |
| 12 | E | E5 |
Sound familiar?
Those are our landmark notes again.
Practice Riff: Low E String Power Chords
Here’s a simple riff that uses some of those Low E string landmarks.
Nothing fancy. Just a chance to move between landmark locations and get used to the shape.
Green Day — “Hitchin’ a Ride”
This song is a nearly perfect example of why Low E string landmark notes matter. Its main descending movement uses the same movable power-chord shape and walks it down the Low E string one fret at a time.
Watch what your first finger is doing: 7, 5, 4, 3 on the Low E string. That gives you B, A, G#, G. You are not memorizing four unrelated shapes—the shape stays together while the root note moves.
The last two chords are especially useful. Sliding from G#5 at the 4th fret to G5 at the 3rd fret shows that power chords are not limited to the natural notes. The same shape works on every fret, including sharps and flats.
Elsewhere in the song you will also run into E5, F#5, and a later group using B5, D5, G5, and F#5. That makes the song a useful tour of several Low E and A-string roots rather than just one repeating riff.
Open the Hitchin’ a Ride tab and resources →Wait... Didn’t We Learn The A String Too?
Yep. And those notes matter too.
The same idea works on the A string.
This is a D5 power chord.
The root note is on the A string. Back in Guitar Note #2 we learned that the 5th fret on the A string is D.
| A String Fret | Root Note | Power Chord |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | C | C5 |
| 5 | D | D5 |
| 7 | E | E5 |
| 8 | F | F5 |
| 10 | G | G5 |
| 12 | A | A5 |
A String Power Chords In The Wild
One thing that’s starting to click for me is that songs can teach us the fretboard before we even realize that’s what is happening.
Pennywise — “Bro Hymn”
The recognizable “Bro Hymn” riff is a great lesson in moving between Low E-root and A-string-root power chords. Instead of keeping every chord on one string, the riff uses nearby versions of the shapes so your hand can move efficiently around the same part of the neck.
In the common standard-tuning position used for the song, F5 and E5 are Low E-root chords, while C5 and D5 can be played as A-string-root chords. This lets the riff stay compact instead of making huge jumps up and down the neck.
That is the bigger lesson hiding inside the riff: the same chord name can live in more than one place, and choosing the closest useful shape makes a riff faster and smoother.
Start by playing the roots only. Say the names out loud—F, C, E, D. Then add the fifth above each root. Finally, add the octave for the full three-string version and work on the rhythm.
The song also teaches punk-rock control. The notes need to stop cleanly between attacks, and the fretting hand should release pressure without completely leaving the strings. That small release helps mute the chord and keeps the riff tight rather than blurry.
Open the Bro Hymn tab and practice riff →Hitchin’ a Ride: teaches a descending Low E-root shape and chromatic movement.
Bro Hymn: teaches how Low E-root and A-string-root shapes can work together in one compact riff.
Together, the two songs turn the fretboard charts into actual music.
Power Chord Chart: All 12 Notes
Here’s a bigger map. These are the common power chord roots on the Low E and A strings.
| Power Chord | Low E Root | A String Root | Notes In The Chord |
|---|---|---|---|
| A5 | 5th fret | Open / 12th fret | A + E |
| A#5 / Bb5 | 6th fret | 1st / 13th fret | A# / Bb + F |
| B5 | 7th fret | 2nd fret | B + F# |
| C5 | 8th fret | 3rd fret | C + G |
| C#5 / Db5 | 9th fret | 4th fret | C# / Db + G# / Ab |
| D5 | 10th fret | 5th fret | D + A |
| D#5 / Eb5 | 11th fret | 6th fret | D# / Eb + A# / Bb |
| E5 | Open / 12th fret | 7th fret | E + B |
| F5 | 1st / 13th fret | 8th fret | F + C |
| F#5 / Gb5 | 2nd fret | 9th fret | F# / Gb + C# / Db |
| G5 | 3rd fret | 10th fret | G + D |
| G#5 / Ab5 | 4th fret | 11th fret | G# / Ab + D# / Eb |
Do I Use Two Notes Or Three Notes?
This is one of those questions I never really asked because it felt too simple.
If G5 is a power chord, how do I know whether to play the two-note version or the three-note version?
The answer is mostly sound, feel, and what the song needs.
Two-Note Version
This gives you G + D.
It’s simple, tight, and easier to move around.
Three-Note Version
This gives you G + D + G.
The third note is another G, one octave higher.
The two-note version is the basic model.
The three-note version is the deluxe package.
Same chord. Bigger sound.
So What’s The Deal With The 5?
I played power chords for years before I finally wondered what the 5 actually meant.
Turns out it’s pretty simple.
Start with C:
A C5 chord contains:
C + G
The 5 comes from the fifth note of the scale.
Are There Minor Power Chords? Or 7th Power Chords?
This is where power chords are kind of weird.
A regular major or minor chord usually has a third in it. That third is what gives the chord its happy or sad sound.
A power chord does not have the third.
C Major: C + E + G
C Minor: C + Eb + G
C5: C + G
Because the third is missing, C5 is not really major or minor.
It just says, “Here’s C. Here’s G. Let’s go.”
There are chords like C7, Cm7, Cmaj7, and so on, but those are not power chords anymore. Those are fuller chords with more notes and more color.
Are There Places Power Chords Are Not Used?
Sure.
Power chords are great when you want something simple, strong, and direct.
But they are not always the right tool.
You might use something else when:
- You want a clear major or minor sound
- You want open acoustic chords
- You want jazzy, colorful chords
- You want a softer or more emotional sound
- You need the chord to tell more of the story
Power chords are not better than full chords.
They’re just a different tool.
Are Power Chords Only On The E And A Strings?
Nope.
They’re all over the neck.
You can build power chords from D-string roots too.
For now I’m sticking with Low E and A string roots because they are the most useful starting point, and they connect directly to Guitar Notes #1 and #2.
We’ll explore the rest of the neighborhood later.
Want To Explore More?
Try looking up these chords in the Working Class Guitar Chord Generator:
Open the Working Class Guitar Chord Generator →
How Do I Get Faster?
I wish I had a secret trick.
I don’t.
Every time I rush things, they get sloppy.
Every time I slow down and clean them up, they eventually get faster on their own.
I keep hoping that’ll stop being true.
So far it hasn’t.
Power Chord Challenge
Without looking back at the charts, can you find these on both the Low E and A strings?
Then use the songs as your test:
Hitchin’ a Ride: Find B5, A5, G#5, and G5 without looking at the chart.
Bro Hymn: Find F5, C5, E5, and D5, choosing the closest Low E-root or A-string-root shape.
If you can do that, you’re no longer just remembering fret numbers. You’re connecting notes, chord names, movable shapes, and real riffs.
That was the whole point of Guitar Notes #1 and #2.