How does everyone else play power chords?

[Ben Thorpe]

How does everyone else play power chords? Do you use your 1st, 3rd and 4th fingers like me, 1st and 3rd fingers or like some mad people who use their 1st and 4th fingers? Or do you alternate between them? Be interesting to know.

 

[Noah Berends]

I used to have a high school buddy who played two-finger power chords with his first and second fingers. I don’t think he did it past his first few months of playing but it was pretty impressive honestly. I myself have always played 1st 3rd and 4th.

 

[Ed Seith]

When I was younger, I used first and third exclusively. As I got older, I found myself gravitating to first and fourth for just about anything below the 5th fret. I can still do it first and third, but first and 4th is just more comfortable now and get off my lawn.

 

[Filip Tomiša]

I use 1st, 3rd and 4th

 

[D K]

1st, 3rd and 4th here also, that’s probably the most common option.

 

[Jake Young]

Same as Ed up above! 1st and 3rd the first couple years then 1st and 4th..sometimes 1st 3rd and 4th if the song calls for it

 

[Matt Wildman]

I play first and third compared to first, third, and fourth. I think it’s easier to play faster that way.

 

[Adin Shepherd]

I rarely use 1st an 3rd. I tend to use 1st and 4th for songs that have a lot of frequent and fast chord changes and 1st, 2nd and 3rd for more down tempo stuff. Not a conscious decision I made, it just kinda happened that way naturally.

 

[Chris Robertson]

interesting topic, depends if im playing 2 or 3 string power chords. If 2 string usually 1st and 4th depending on the riff and if there may be lead playing along side it. if 3 string then yea 1,3,4.

 

[idssdi]

I use 1st, 3rd and 4th finger to play power chords. Sometimes 1st and 3rd

 

[Guest]

For me personally, it really depends on the piece. Sometimes I use fingers 1 and 3, though most of the time I find myself using 1 and 4