Power Chords and their use in Chugging
Posted: 29 May 2020 13:55Power Chords and their use in Chugging
You may occasionally see the number 5 in a chord name, but this is very rare.
The 5 (five) indicates that they are neither a major or minor chord, but have become known as a power chords.
But what is a power chord?
A Power Chord comprises just two notes, the root and the perfect fifth.
So, for example, an F5 chord, would simply consist of the notes F & C.
They are popular chords for guitarists, especially for rock and metallic music.
It is very unlikely that you would play these on your keyboard unless you are mimicking some Heavy metal, or Jazz guitarists, but now you know what they are.
Power Chords are most popular with guitarists.
An excellent guitar player friend of mine says it is because they are simpler to form, as you only have the two notes to worry about, which means less finger movement on the fret board.
But the main reason is that guitarists enjoy ‘chugging’.
So just what is chugging?
It is best performed on electric guitars with the gain set very high.
Chugging concentrates on the lower three strings (i.e. the bass side of the guitar), while repeatedly using rapid strumming or picking.
The use of a power chord is better because it employs less notes, especially since chugging creates a certain amount of deliberate distortion in the sound, and as we implied above, works better in the lower frequencies. Too many notes being played at once, especially in the higher frequencies, seriously devalues the distortion.
Good equipment, including unworn strings, all help to create a 'good' sound, but so much of a chug's bite and aggression comes from the player themselves. How hard they play, what kind of pick or strings they use, how consistent their technique is, all contribute to a superb technique.
Everything needs to blend together seamlessly, and especially for metal music, this means finding the perfect tonal qualities for all the equipment involved.
You might not appreciate it, but the player has to hone their skills to be able to produce this effect well, and, like everything else in music, it requires many hours of regular practice.
Here is a YouTube video demonstrating the art of chugging, where you can hear what it sounds like as well:
Note: Chris Machete uses only the three lowest (frequency) strings on his guitar in this demo.
Peter
You may occasionally see the number 5 in a chord name, but this is very rare.
The 5 (five) indicates that they are neither a major or minor chord, but have become known as a power chords.
But what is a power chord?
A Power Chord comprises just two notes, the root and the perfect fifth.
So, for example, an F5 chord, would simply consist of the notes F & C.
They are popular chords for guitarists, especially for rock and metallic music.
It is very unlikely that you would play these on your keyboard unless you are mimicking some Heavy metal, or Jazz guitarists, but now you know what they are.
Power Chords are most popular with guitarists.
An excellent guitar player friend of mine says it is because they are simpler to form, as you only have the two notes to worry about, which means less finger movement on the fret board.
But the main reason is that guitarists enjoy ‘chugging’.
So just what is chugging?
It is best performed on electric guitars with the gain set very high.
Chugging concentrates on the lower three strings (i.e. the bass side of the guitar), while repeatedly using rapid strumming or picking.
The use of a power chord is better because it employs less notes, especially since chugging creates a certain amount of deliberate distortion in the sound, and as we implied above, works better in the lower frequencies. Too many notes being played at once, especially in the higher frequencies, seriously devalues the distortion.
Good equipment, including unworn strings, all help to create a 'good' sound, but so much of a chug's bite and aggression comes from the player themselves. How hard they play, what kind of pick or strings they use, how consistent their technique is, all contribute to a superb technique.
Everything needs to blend together seamlessly, and especially for metal music, this means finding the perfect tonal qualities for all the equipment involved.
You might not appreciate it, but the player has to hone their skills to be able to produce this effect well, and, like everything else in music, it requires many hours of regular practice.
Here is a YouTube video demonstrating the art of chugging, where you can hear what it sounds like as well:
Note: Chris Machete uses only the three lowest (frequency) strings on his guitar in this demo.
Peter