Power Chord Dynamics

Distorted and overdriven guitars are very popular with rock, metal, and punk musicians, but one draw back of using distortion and overdrive is that chords tend to sound rather bad. The actual effect that gives the distortion tends to make chords sound unclear, dissonant, or give a variety of other undesirable qualities depending on what chord is being played and what settings are being used. While some songs do quite well with single note lines, the fifth diad or power chord, as it is more commonly called, fills in the gap allowing for much thicker rhythm lines. Some guitarists tend to be dismissive of power chords because they are simple, but the reason they work on distorted guitars is because they are simple.

One drawback to power chords in comparison to normal chords is that a rhythm guitarist can’t swap in some sustained chords or add chords to liven up a rhythm part. Instead, a good rhythm guitarist using power chords uses dynamics to increase the interest of a part. Notice below, both examples have the same chord progression, but the second one is using dynamics. See which one sounds more interesting.

Both are straight eighth note A5 lines, but by mixing in palm muted root notes, the second one has an internal beat added to it. Even without drums or bass behind it, there is a very definite feeling as to the bar length with the repeating rhythm pattern. The first one could be 3/4, 4/4, 5/8, 3/8, 9/8, or any other rhythm, and it would still sound the same. The second one on the other hand definitely does give the listener the feeling of a 4/4 line.

This doesn’t mean playing straight eighth note power chords is bad, there are songs that would note work without those types of lines. However, the key is knowing that you have a choice and when a dynamic or straight line would be more appropriate. Keep in mind that most all rock songs do have a bass and drums providing the rhythm, and sometimes that extra layer of rhythm guitar dynamics might be distracting. In addition, if you look at a song like “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” by Judas Priest, they actually have both going on at the same time. In that case they are building the power chord dynamic line with two separate guitars.

In addition, there is the choice of using two string power chords, three string power chords, and the larger open power chords that are based around the same open chord shapes as the basic open chords (except with the third notes omitted). In general, the two string power chords are often more popular because the volume difference between them and single note lines is small enough that the power chords aren’t overpowering against the single note line. Three string power chord and open power chords are louder on an electric guitar by simple virtue of having more strings ringing at the same time. These work better for longer note intervals, since they will ring longer before fading out too far and by giving a more noticeable and definitive attack.

The following example is a bit more complex than the previous one, making use of the palm muted root notes, two and three string power chords, and bigger open power chords for the final bar. In addition, there is also syncopation and different note intervals, further increasing the dynamics to it. Musically it is just I-IV-V-IV / bVII, but all those extra little dynamics make it sound a lot more interesting and complex than just that. You can make some very interesting lines with just power chords and single notes by playing with the dynamics. Not having the ability to use full chords does not mean settling for just using straight eighth note lines.

Keep on rockin'!