Aspiring rock guitarists must master bar and power chords. These chord structures underpin many great riffs and tunes and help you understand the guitar neck. In this comprehensive lesson, we’ll cover all six strings and every fretboard note with bar and power chord variants.
This article will help beginners create a firm foundation and experienced players increase their chord repertoire to maximize their guitar’s possibilities. Master these adaptable chords used by just about every rock band, from Guns N Roses to Black Sabbath to The Sex Pistols.
Grab your guitar and let’s explore bar chords and power chords, the keys to rock guitar proficiency.
This is also a way to learn the notes on the guitar neck. Your root note is the first note you strike. The root note helps identify the chord.
Here we go.
Bar Chords on the Low E String.
Example 1
F/F#/G/G#/A/A#/B/C/C#
E|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|-3--4--5--6--7--8--9--10--11-------|
A|-3--4--5--6--7--8--9--10--11-------|
E|-1--2--3--4--5--6--7---8---9-------|
D/D#/E/F Etc
The notes repeat after the 12th fret.
12th Fret is E, then F on The 13th fret,
F# on the 14th, etc.
continues.
D/D#/E/F/F#/G/G#/A
E|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|--12--13--14--15--16-17------------|
A|--12--13--14--15--16-17------------|
E|--10--11--12--13--14-15------------|
Example 2
Bar Chords on The A String
A/A#/B/C/C#/D/D#/E/F/
E|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|----3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10---------------|
D|----3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10---------------|
A|----1-2-3-4-5-6-7--8---------------|
E|----xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx---------|
Continue..
F#/G/G#/A/A#/B/C
E|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|----11-12-13-14-15-16-17-----------|
D|----11-12-13-14-15-16-17-----------|
A|----9---10-11-12-13-14-15----------|
E|------xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-----------|
Example 3.
These power chords were popular with the band Dokken.
I call them George Lynch Power Chords.
George Lynch uses these all the time.
Listen to Any Dokken songs, and You will
hear these Power Chords.
Noteworthy: The Dokken Songs ' In My Dreams"
"Dream Warriors" also Used By Ace Frehley
in Kiss For The Song "Cold Gin"
D#/E/F/F#/G/G#/A/A#
G|------3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-------------|
D|------1-2-3-4-5-6-7--8-------------|
A|------xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--------------|
E|-----xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--------------|
continued...
B/C/C#/D/D# Etc.
E|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|------11-12-13-14-15---------------|
D|------9--10-11-12-13---------------|
A|------xxxxxxxxxxxxx----------------|
E|------xxxxxxxxxxxxx----------------|
**Always remember notes after the 12th fret
repeat themselves.
Remember that Open Sting is always
the same note on the 12th fret.
Also Read: How to play A5 chords
Example 4.
The Notes on The E String.
Open
E/F/F#/G/G#/A/A#/B/C/C#/D/D#/E
E|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|
E|0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-------|
Example 5.
Notes on the A string.
Open A/A#/B/C/C#/D/D#/E/F/F#/G/G#/A
E|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------|
A|0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-------|
E|-----------------------------------|
Example 6.
D String
Open D/D#/E/F/F#/G/G#A/A#/B/C/C#/D/
E|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-------|
A|-----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|
Always remember that after the 12th, the notes repeat themselves.
When learning the guitar neck, just memorize one string, and you will notice the notes are the same pattern on every string; they just start at a different open string note. Remember to practice, practice, and practice.
