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Power chords and harmony context

Pablo De Miguel

Campfire Attention Holder
  • Nov 11, 2019
    85
    207
    22
    Spain
    4
    I remember reading on the syn´s tips section (I don´t remember in which lesson I saw that) that even the simpliest power chord can imply major or minor depending on the harmony contest. I think I understand it but to make shure I got it I am making this post.
    So lets supose we are in the key of G major. The G major chord family are Gmaj,Amin,Bmin,Cmaj,Dmaj,E min and Fdim. Knowing that, if I come across a rock backinig track on youtube in the key of G that use this progression: G-B-C-D(all of those are power chords) I can use,for example the G major arpeggio on the G power chord,the B minor arpeggio over the B power chord, etc. because those power chords corresponds harmonically to the major and minor chords of the G major chord family. Does it make sense??
     

    idssdi

    Sold-out Crowd Surfer
    Nov 11, 2019
    5,336
    6,754
    Groningen
    11
    Yes it does make sense but the beauty of power chords is that you can mix and match minor and major to taste because they both work over the respective chords 😅

    Let's say you decide to do a B major arpeggio instead. That basically means your borrowing a chord from the B major chord family instead and it's still going to work but it's very much adding to taste really. The thing is that over a power chord neither the major nor minor third Is going to clash with the power chord you're playing over because harmonically they both work well without dissonance over the chord. This freedom dissapears if you try playing a major third over a minor chord because that's going to clash. Again, it's all up to your own personal choice.