FELIPE VALLADARES

POWER CHORDS OR FIFTH CHORDS

HEAVY METAL LESSON

These are the most frequent chords in rock, punk, metal, and all branches derived from these styles. Its harmonic sonority, combined with the sound of a distorted guitar, produces a powerful round sound that can be found in almost every original composition related to the styles previously mentioned. In this lesson we will be able to hear how it sounds, learn the way it is built, and to play them on the guitar. Harmonically, these chords are formed basically by two notes: The root note and the perfect fifth (5th). The root note: Is the note or pitch upon which the chord is built. The name of the root note denotes the chord. For example, if we look the C5 chord, the root note would be C. Perfect fifth: Is the interval that spans three and a half tones above the root note. If we take the C5 chord as an example, the perfect 5th would be the note G, since if we count the existing tones starting the from the root note (C), after completing three and a half tones we will be in G. Now check some different Fifth chords in the score below:
Example 1
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Chord Root Note Perfect Fifth

C5

D5

F5

G5

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For getting a broader sound, we can also double the root note using the higher octave. Thus the C5 chord would be as follows:
Example 2
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Use on the guitar When doing these chords on our guitar, we must be careful not to touch the strings that are not involved in the chord. Two ways exist to accomplish this: 1. Playing the notes that belong to the chord: If we are doubling the root note, we will strum only three strings with the pick. If we do not duplicate the root note, we will strum two strings only. 2. Muting the strings that dont belong to the chord: Muting the strings we will not use is always a useful technique. We do this by gently placing the index finger of our left hand on the rest of the strings so they dont sound. Heres an exercise where we will play fifth chords as an arpeggio, taking care only to strum the strings we need with our pick.
Exercise 1
Track 1

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It is important to emphasize that in this exercise our left hand will move along the neck making the guitar positions defined in the following diagrams: C5
X X X X

Eb5
X X X

G5

3rd fret

6th fret

3rd fret

Now we will see a series of exercises where the chords must be played in blocks, this meaning that they are played all in one strum, and not as an arpeggio.
Exercise 2
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In the next exercise we combine fifths with single notes that are not part of a chord . When playing in blocks, do not forget to strum just the right strings!

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Exercise 3

Track 3

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In this last exercise, be welcome to put all the power and distortion to your guitar and rock along this riff, built only with fifth chords.
Exercise 4
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