Bone to pick with rock guys re; the 'power chord'

[PatrickJazzGuitar]

Alright, I’ve got a bone to pick with the rock guys -- and I know some of you jazz guitarists will relate. Every time I hear someone call a "power chord" a chord, I die a little inside. Is this just me, or are there others who feel the same, given the actual history of music theory (not saying it doesn't evolve, or that that isn't okay, it's just that....) It’s not a chord. It’s a diad. Two notes -- usually a root and a fifth (or fourth, depending on inversion). And for the past five centuries (or however long it actually as been, and it has been a long time) the basic definition of a chord has been three or more simultaneous notes. The 'triad' is the minimum for status as a chord. Yes, chords can be broken, called 'arpeggios'. Anyway, that’s harmony. That’s how the game is played. I mean, I'm 73, started guitar in the mid sixties after a few years of playing sax, clarinet, and flute (which I dropped in favor of guitar, and later, added piano). I never heard of this 'power chord business 'till about, what, the 8os, or thereabouts? Relatively new in the historical scheme of things, eh? Now, I'm not suggesting that my time on my instrument makes me holier than anyone else on theory, I'm just relating my experience, my thoughts on this. Oh, btw, I'm quite shy about posting my playing, I should be a lot better than I am given these years, I've spent more time studying songwriting that getting good on my axe. I'm far more likely to post songs, not my performance. Just an irrelevant side note.


Now, I get it -- crank up the gain, let the amp do its thing, and suddenly that diad sounds bigger than life. But that fullness isn’t coming from the notes you’re playing; it’s coming from electronic distortion adding extra overtones (right?), which your brain interprets as a missing third. Strip away the distortion, and you’re left with a hollow, ambiguous interval -- neither major nor minor.
So let’s be clear: the so-called "power chord" isn’t some new harmonic breakthrough. It’s an artifact of electricity, a trick of signal processing. Not knocking it -- it’s got its place in rock. But if we’re talking theory, calling it a chord is like calling a unicycle a motorcycle just because it feels fast. Disagree? Chime in.

[pamosmusic]

So let’s be clear: the so-called "power chord" isn’t some new harmonic breakthrough. It’s an artifact of electricity, a trick of signal processing. Not knocking it -- it’s got its place in rock. But if we’re talking theory, calling it a chord is like calling a unicycle a motorcycle just because it feels fast. Disagree? Chime in.

And McCoy Tyner has a bone to pick with you

[grahambop]

Freddie Green played one-note chords.

[garybaldy]

I play Root fifth root - is that still a diad?

[Tal_175]

Let's cut the OP some slack. A power chord is just a fat note, not a chord. The fifth is just an inflated overtone. But of course power chords can be a good foundation for harmony based on what else is being played with the other instruments in it the same context.

[pamosmusic]

Let's cut the OP some slack. A power chord is just a fat note, not a chord. The fifth is just an inflated overtone. But of course power chords can be a good foundation for harmony based on what else is being played with the other instruments in it the same context.

Well … wasn’t disagreeing that it isn’t a chord. Don’t particularly care all that much. Disagreeing with it being an artifact of electricity, a trick of signal processing and something that just has its place in rock.

McCoy Tyner uses them all the time and he is High Jazz. The Shearing octave is another example — and those are used basically just like power chords.

But you mentioning the overtones is the real trick. It’s not a trick of the overdrive, but an artifact of the overdrive juicing up the overtones and making that such a satisfying sound, like when pianists play them in the left hand or the low brass play them in an orchestra.

For what it’s worth it also happens to be quite clever. If you’re arranging, dissonance and density don’t travel well — so if you’re harmonizing a moving line, then octaves and fifths work great. I don’t think Eric Clapton was thinking about arranging techniques and low interval limits when he wrote Sunshine of Your Love, but still.

[Mick-7]

We had this same debate re: harmonic nomenclature a while back in another thread. I recall bringing up Debussy's use of chords built on 5ths and 4ths, were they "triads" if they contained no 3rd? Don't think we agreed on what they should be named.

[Al Haig]

No, it isn't technically a 3 separate note chord. That name ain't goin away tho because the colloquial name for chords in guitar playing is just putting several fingers down. Many guitarists don't even know the name of the notes.

[mr. beaumont]

Let's face it, guitar players are going to call stuff whatever they hell they want to anyway, so why fight it?

Gonna use some power chords to play chord melody

[Al Haig]

Gonna use some power chords to play chord melody

[ruger9]

Let's face it, guitar players are going to call stuff whatever they hell they want to anyway, so why fight it?

Gonna use some power chords to play chord melody

yeah, much ado about nothing. Why some people let stuff like this get under their skin, I'll never understand. I got bigger fish to fry. Like Kenny G vs Pat Metheny.

[garybaldy]

Well … wasn’t disagreeing that it isn’t a chord. Don’t particularly care all that much. Disagreeing with it being an artifact of electricity, a trick of signal processing and something that just has its place in rock.

McCoy Tyner uses them all the time and he is High Jazz. The Shearing octave is another example — and those are used basically just like power chords.

But you mentioning the overtones is the real trick. It’s not a trick of the overdrive, but an artifact of the overdrive juicing up the overtones and making that such a satisfying sound, like when pianists play them in the left hand or the low brass play them in an orchestra.

For what it’s worth it also happens to be quite clever. If you’re arranging, dissonance and density don’t travel well — so if you’re harmonizing a moving line, then octaves and fifths work great. I don’t think Eric Clapton was thinking about arranging techniques and low interval limits when he wrote Sunshine of Your Love, but still.

EC played major 3rds in SOYL - God forbid!
EDit. And a backdoor dom7.

[Christian Miller]

I’m against chords


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[AllanAllen]

Alright, I’ve got a bone to pick with the rock guys -- and I know some of you jazz guitarists will relate. Every time I hear someone call a "power chord" a chord, I die a little inside. Is this just me, or are there others who feel the same, given the actual history of music theory (not saying it doesn't evolve, or that that isn't okay, it's just that....) It’s not a chord. It’s a diad. Two notes -- usually a root and a fifth (or fourth, depending on inversion). And for the past five centuries (or however long it actually as been, and it has been a long time) the basic definition of a chord has been three or more simultaneous notes. The 'triad' is the minimum for status as a chord. Yes, chords can be broken, called 'arpeggios'. Anyway, that’s harmony. That’s how the game is played. I mean, I'm 73, started guitar in the mid sixties after a few years of playing sax, clarinet, and flute (which I dropped in favor of guitar, and later, added piano). I never heard of this 'power chord business 'till about, what, the 8os, or thereabouts? Relatively new in the historical scheme of things, eh? Now, I'm not suggesting that my time on my instrument makes me holier than anyone else on theory, I'm just relating my experience, my thoughts on this. Oh, btw, I'm quite shy about posting my playing, I should be a lot better than I am given these years, I've spent more time studying songwriting that getting good on my axe. I'm far more likely to post songs, not my performance. Just an irrelevant side note.


Now, I get it -- crank up the gain, let the amp do its thing, and suddenly that diad sounds bigger than life. But that fullness isn’t coming from the notes you’re playing; it’s coming from electronic distortion adding extra overtones (right?), which your brain interprets as a missing third. Strip away the distortion, and you’re left with a hollow, ambiguous interval -- neither major nor minor.
So let’s be clear: the so-called "power chord" isn’t some new harmonic breakthrough. It’s an artifact of electricity, a trick of signal processing. Not knocking it -- it’s got its place in rock. But if we’re talking theory, calling it a chord is like calling a unicycle a motorcycle just because it feels fast. Disagree? Chime in.

[mr. beaumont]

I’m against chords


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Mad at harmony

[supersoul]

I always think of Black Sabbath as really developing what we know of as the power chord. Maybe others did it before them, but Sabbath ran with it and made it a thing.

It was something Tony Iommi came up with when he had to relearn the guitar after chopping his fingertips off at a factory job. He made rubber fingertips so he could fret, he used extra light strings and tuned down a few steps. Full chords were too much, so he just used the root and fifth shape and moved it around. Thus, the riff was born!

[Christian Miller]

Mad at harmony

Not mad, just disappointed


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[Hep To The Jive]

Ok, power diad then. The nerd version.

I have a more practical question, how to notate a power chord 3rd-5th? For example, you wanna play G5(G-D) then D/F#, but just two notes F#-D. How do you indicate you only want those 2 notes in chord notation?

[grahambop]

The power chord was used by Kapsberger:

[AllanAllen]

Trying to rename the power chord is going to go over like calling a GIF a jiff. Not gonna happen

[dconeill]

... Every time I hear someone call a "power chord" a chord, I die a little inside. ... It’s not a chord. It’s a diad. ...
Disagree? Chime in.

It's not a chord in the formal sense - it's only got two pitches. But whether it is or is not a chord, it's called a "power chord", and everyone knows what that means. So that's the name. It's a misnomer, but there are lots of misnomers around. Live with it. Save your energy for more important battles.

[Tal_175]

On a related note, a power amp is also not an amp.

[brent.h]

Charlie Christian playing power chords / fifths on Stardust was badass. I think these sounds definitely have a place in jazz, too.

[Christian Miller]

The power chord was used by Kapsberger:

Ah yes!


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[Christian Miller]

A major seventh chord is two powerchords on a major third


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