Chapter 3
Power Chords and Barre Chords
IN THIS CHAPTER
Trying your hand at open-position chords
Jump-starting with power chords
Mastering barre chords
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When rock guitarists play, chords are what they play most of the time. You may have a vision of your favorite guitar hero up on stage wailing away on a single-note lead passage, but the rest of the time, when he’s singing or when someone else is singing or when someone else is the featured soloist, he’s playing chords. And although the best guitarists are known for their lead playing, between these fleeting moments of immortal glory those guys are churning out chords.
Chords are the workday week of the playing rock guitarist. Leads are Saturday night. And in rock and roll, just as in life, you have to work all week to earn your Saturday night. Because chord playing constitutes what you do for the majority of your rock-guitar-playing life, this chapter shows you some essential chords to master.
Chords are built in the left hand (or right, perhaps, if you’re a lefty) and realized ...
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