CHORDS

Chords are groups of notes that can be played together.  Chords are related to scales and arpeggios.  Major chords – E Major for example – are made up from the first, third and fifth note of the major scale – E, G# and B in the case of E Major. 

The guitar has always been a good instrument to play chords on.  In fact, for many years before amplification, the guitar was used almost exclusively as a rhythm instrument and it was generally chord based accompaniment that was played.  After the introduction of pickups and amplifiers chords still made up a large part of the guitarist’s repertoire.  Generally it is dependant on what type of music is being played as to how complex a set of chords are needed.  A folk player will probably know many more chords and their inversions than a death metal player who will probably only need a couple of movable bar chords, but will make up for that with hugely complicated rhythms and blistering lead work.  It is this versatility that has lead the guitar to become the dominant instrument of the modern world.

INVERSIONS

An inversion is a chord where the notes are played in a different order to that of the root position.  For example:
E Major triad root position – E G# B
E Major triad 1st inversion – G# B E
E Major triad 2nd inversion – B E G#

‘5’ Chords or ‘Power Chords’

The most common chord used to play hard edged music such as rock, punk and all forms of metal is the ‘5’ chord.  Almost always referred to as a power chord, it certainly lives up to the name. 

As it is a very simple chord to learn and also a very easy bar chord to move around the fretboard, the ‘5’ chord is essential for anyone out to make some noise!

The ‘5’ chord or power chord usually consists of 2 or 3 notes:
The root note, the 5th and sometimes the octave. 

This simple arrangement is neither major nor minor as it has no 3rd.  This gives the power chord a great deal of versatility.