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Who Invented the Power Chord?
Far Out Magazine ^ | Fri 9 February 2024 | Kelly Scanlon

Posted on 02/10/2024 7:41:05 PM PST by nickcarraway

Few chords possess the ability to encapsulate an entire genre and ethos. Yet, the power chord, with its primal simplicity, stands as a testament to the enduring essence of punk and rock music. Across generations, musicians have wielded this indispensable tool, shaping and propelling the instinctual force that drives the very heart of musical expression.

The origins of the power chord can be traced back to the early days of rock and roll, where guitarists sought to create a louder, more aggressive sound. By simplifying traditional chord structures and focusing on the root note and fifth, musicians discovered a formula that produced a potent, no-nonsense sound.

This stripped-down approach laid the foundation for the power chord’s rise to prominence and its enduring popularity in rock music. Although the power chord dates back to the early twentieth century, they have been integral components of some of the most iconic guitar riffs in history, gracing songs such as ‘Iron Man’ by Black Sabbath, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ by Nirvana, Elvis Presley’s ‘Jailhouse Rock’, The Kinks’ ‘You Really Got Me’, and The Who’s ‘My Generation’.

In the early days, however, the sound wasn’t necessarily used as commercially as it is now. Electric blues guitarists Willie Johnson and Pat Hare have been credited as the true pioneers of the power chord, specifically Johnson’s guitar work on Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘How Many More Years’ and Hare’s contributions to James Cotton’s ‘Cotton Crop Blues’.

What is a power chord?

A power chord is a type of chord commonly used in rock, punk, and other forms of popular music. It is a stripped-down version of a traditional chord and consists only of the root note of the chord and its fifth. Typically, power chords omit the third, which is responsible for whether a chord is major or minor, giving them a neutral, ambiguous sound.

In terms of guitar playing, power chords are played by placing one finger across two or three adjacent strings on the fretboard. They are often played with distortion or overdrive effects, giving them a crunchy, aggressive sound. Power chords are popular because they are easy to play, especially for beginners, and they provide a strong, driving rhythm commonly associated with rock music.

What was the first song to popularise the power chord?

Although the power chord was used much earlier, the style of chord recognised by contemporary electric guitarists gained prominence through Link Wray’s pioneering efforts. Wray expanded upon the distorted electric guitar tones heard in early recordings, notably through his use of speaker cone tearing techniques in his instrumental track ‘Rumble’ released in 1958.

Prior to Wray’s efforts, the earliest documented use of a power chord for guitar in the 20th century can be traced back to the ‘Preludes’ composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos, a prominent Brazilian composer of the early 1900s. Modern musicians predominantly rely on Villa-Lobos’s interpretation to this day.

Are power chords used today?

Power chords are still widely used in contemporary music, particularly in rock, punk, metal, and various other genres that incorporate electric guitar. They continue to be a staple in the repertoire of many guitarists due to their versatility, simplicity, and ability to create a powerful, driving sound.

While music styles and trends evolve over time, power chords remain an essential element in modern guitar playing, and you can hear them in countless songs released today across different genres.


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: chords; donatefreerepublic; guitar; jimknows; music; powerchords; rockandroll; theshadowknows; weallknow
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To: dayglored
Pete Townsend has stated in interviews that if it were not for Link Wray's power chords in "Rumble", he never would have picked up a guitar.
That's a pretty strong influence, IMO.


"Up until the point before they released their first single, The Who did not really have any original material to show for. Roger Daltrey, in an interview with Q Magazine, explains why: “We already knew Pete could write songs, but it never seemed a necessity in those days to have your own stuff because there was this wealth of untapped music that we could get hold of from America. But then bands like the Kinks started to make it, and they were probably the biggest influence on us – they were a huge influence on Pete, and he wrote ‘I Can’t Explain’, not as a direct copy, but certainly, it’s very derivative of Kinks music.”"
The Story Behind The Song: How The Who created ‘I Can’t Explain’
21 posted on 02/10/2024 9:21:12 PM PST by Dr. Franklin ("A republic, if you can keep it." )
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To: nickcarraway

The Who. “I Can See For Miles.” It was nothing *but* power chords, and the song that introduced the sound to an entire generation of aspiring rock guitarists.


22 posted on 02/10/2024 9:22:51 PM PST by Flatus I. Maximus (VOTE BIDEN 2024! Too senile to stand trial but good enough to run the country!)
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To: nickcarraway
I just move around until it sounds right.

Mississippi John Hurt
23 posted on 02/10/2024 9:26:46 PM PST by ComputerGuy (Heavily-medicated for your protection)
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To: steve86

I listen to a great deal of music. I listen very closely and have created songs for my own amusement, but I’m not a musician per se. I’ve been a visual artist but not a music man. Maybe I was in a previous life. For now? I am not worthy!


24 posted on 02/10/2024 9:49:11 PM PST by lee martell
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To: lee martell
Try this. Cheap Trick, Live at Budokan, "Surrender." Nothing but power chords. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbkypX1OhZ0
25 posted on 02/10/2024 9:55:03 PM PST by Flatus I. Maximus (VOTE BIDEN 2024! Too senile to stand trial but good enough to run the country!)
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To: nickcarraway

“...power chords are played by placing one finger across two or three adjacent strings on the fretboard.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay I gotta crank my nitpicker up to 11 for a second...

What he’s describing isn’t a power chord. A textbook power chord uses two fingers on adjacent strings spaced a fret apart. This gives you the root note plus the fifth on top.

When you do the one finger trick across two strings like he describes, you’re playing the fifth plus the root on top. So the notes are sort of flipped. The sound is similar but isn’t technically a power chord IMO.

The riff in Smoke On The Water uses this kind of flipped, quasi power chord. The classic mistake is to play it with true power chords — an easy mistake to make because it’ll sound similar, but it won’t be quite right. Rick Beato actually has an episode about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX0IInspcgg

And if you put one finger across three strings then you’ve got the major third involved which is definitely not a power chord. It’s a major triad. An example of this would be the A chord in Rumble by Link Wray.


26 posted on 02/10/2024 9:57:53 PM PST by Yardstick
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To: nickcarraway

Thomas Alva Edison invented the power cord...


        


...oh...never mind.



On a side note, when Thomas Alva Edison inserted the first power cord into the socket, he got a big shock, and let out a yowling howl, inventing the rock howl, later used by many rock bands in the future, like this one:


      "Werewolves Of London" - Warren Zevon

27 posted on 02/10/2024 9:57:56 PM PST by Songcraft ( )
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To: T.B. Yoits

No wonder I got nowhere trying to learn to play


28 posted on 02/10/2024 10:04:17 PM PST by doorgunner69 (When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty)
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To: Songcraft

...But his hair was perfect!


29 posted on 02/10/2024 10:05:46 PM PST by lee martell
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To: lee martell

:-)

30 posted on 02/10/2024 10:13:24 PM PST by Songcraft ( )
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To: Terabitten
The "first" and "fifth" denotes where that note lies in a given major scale.

Be careful not to mix scale degrees and chord intervals.

In a chord, the First (or Root) and the Fifth (an interval of a fifth above the Root), are distinct from the scale degrees.

In the Key of C, C is the first scale degree and G is the fifth scale degree but other chords in the scale can be played as power chords. For example, in the key of C, power chords could be played on:

C - (first scale degree) - power chord played as Root C and fifth interval G.

F - (fourth scale degree) - power chord played as Root F and fifth interval C.

G - (fifth scale degree) - power chord played as Root G and fifth interval D.

and so on...

31 posted on 02/10/2024 10:16:24 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: Dr. Franklin
Here's that Pete Townshend quote:

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-link-wray-inspired-iggy-pop-pete-townshend-jimmy-page-get-into-music/

And referenced here:

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/link-wray-rumble-legacy

32 posted on 02/10/2024 10:19:18 PM PST by dayglored (Strange Women Lying In Ponds Distributing Swords! Arthur Pendragon in 2024)
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To: doorgunner69
No wonder I got nowhere trying to learn to play.

It's never too late to start it back up.

I highly recommend 'Theory Notebook Complete' by John Brimhall for those not studying Music Theory as part of a full curriculum and even for those who are studying music theory in school.
https://www.amazon.com/Theory-Notebook-Complete-John-Brimhall/dp/158560755X

The Berklee Music Theory books are also good.
https://www.amazon.com/Berklee-Music-Theory-Book-1/dp/0876391102/ref=sr_1_1?crid=COSWOCCYGFT5&keywords=berklee+music+theory&qid=1707632266&s=books&sprefix=berklee+theory%2Cstripbooks%2C88&sr=1-1

33 posted on 02/10/2024 10:23:11 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: steve86

Simplest explanation.

Doe Ray Me Fa Sew La Tea Doe

Doe being the First.
Sew being the Fith.

Play both notes cranked on 11 and you have a power cord.


34 posted on 02/10/2024 10:51:55 PM PST by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our only true hope. )
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To: dayglored
Here's that Pete Townshend quote:
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-link-wray-inspired-iggy-pop-pete-townshend-jimmy-page-get-into-music/
And referenced here:
https://www.guitarworld.com/features/link-wray-rumble-legacy


It may well be true, that Wray inspired Townsend to play the guitar, but it is undeniably true that without Dave Davies Obvious influence, Can't Explain would have flopped.
35 posted on 02/10/2024 10:53:32 PM PST by Dr. Franklin ("A republic, if you can keep it." )
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To: Yardstick
When you do the one finger trick across two strings like he describes, you’re playing the fifth plus the root on top. So the notes are sort of flipped.

That's true if the guitar is tuned to standard tuning. For alternate tuning, especially for open-string tuning for slide guitar, since it's tuned to fifths, the Root would be on the "E" string and the Fifth would be on the same fret on the "A" string.

For example, a Power Chord with standard Tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) at the fifth fret would be:
A     D     G     C     E     A
A#   D#   G#   C#    F    A#
B     
E     A     D     G     B

...but with Open or Slide tuning such as Open D (D-A-D-F#-A-D) the same A power chord would be played on the 7th fret of both the "E" and the "A" strings.
G     D     G     B     D     G
G#   D#   G#   C     D#   G#

A     E    A     C#   E     A

Keith Richards in particular like to drop the E string to a D and his power chords were on the same fret across adjacent strings.

36 posted on 02/10/2024 10:56:06 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: Chode

(three chord rock&roll...)

Also known as a 1-4-5 progression, and usually with a relative minor chord 🎵🎵🎶🎶🎶🎵🎶

🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸

A substantial number of songs are built around this, in various forms


37 posted on 02/10/2024 11:00:33 PM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: T.B. Yoits

True you can do one finger power chords if you use non-standard tuning but that’s a special case. I don’t think that’s what the writer is talking about.

Keith Richards is known for using open G tuning on certain songs and removing the low E string altogether. That is, he plays with only 5 strings.

Drop D tuning where you lower the E string a step lets you do one finger power chords, but I don’t think Keith Richards is known for doing that. Do you know a song where he uses drop D?


38 posted on 02/10/2024 11:20:45 PM PST by Yardstick
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To: nickcarraway

Maybe this is a power chord?

Eric Clapton - Layla
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX5USg8_1gA


39 posted on 02/11/2024 12:27:51 AM PST by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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To: nickcarraway

Of course, it’s not a chord at all since it’s only two notes. It’s an interval.


40 posted on 02/11/2024 2:32:18 AM PST by KevinB (Word for the day: "kakistocracy" - a society governed by its least suitable or competent citizens)
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