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Introduction To Tabs

Lesson 3: Power Chords

Do you want to play some Bon Jovi, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Van Halen, or any other type of 80's Hair Metal? Then you will have to learn rock's version of the chords you learned in Lesson 1, Power Chords!

Power Chords are heavier and lower-sounding versions of musical chords. They are represented with a 5 after the chord, so for example, a D chord changed to a power chord would be a D5. Power chords take place on two strings, and have one fret seperating them.  For example: A G5 power chord is:
E|---------------
B|---------------
G|---------------
D|---------------
A|---3----------
E|---5----------
 
You only need to memorize a few power chords, since they are the only ones written out in tabs. The rest of the power chords will be written in the tab. The ones that you need to memorize are G5, A5, E5, D5, B5, and C5. G5 is listed above, the rest are below:
 
E5:
A|-2-
E|-0-
 
A5:
A|-3-
E|-1-
 
D5:
G|-2-
B|-0-
 
B5:
A|-2-
D|-4-
 
C5:
A|-3-
D|-5-
 
Now, lets try some exercises.
E5 E5 A5 A5 G5 G5 A5 A5 B5 B5 G5 G5 A5 A5 E5 E5.
 
G5 G5 G5 G5 G5 G5 C5 C5 C5 C5.
 
Now, lets put it all together into a song. This song might take a while to learn, so be patient and work hard. DO NOT move on until you've got a good feeling of this song. Don't be overwhelmed! Riff 1, 2, & 3 are power chords. Remember the vibrato in the solo!! (This is an easy solo, a few times through it should do the trick). After you practice and are comfortable with all the riffs and the solo, Click here for the music video to play along with. 
 
Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna' Take It
Tabbed by Ruben


Riff 1

E--------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------|
G----9----9--8----8--6----6--4----4----|
D----9----9--8----8--6----6--4----4----|
A----7----7--6----6--4----4--2----2----|
E--------------------------------------|
      
Riff 2

E--------------------------------------|
B--P.M.  .  . . . .  . . . .  . . . . -|
G--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--------------------|
D--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--|
A--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--|
E--------------------7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--|

E--------------------------------------|
B--P.M.  .  . . . .  . . . .  . . . . -|
G--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--------------------|
D--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--|
A--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--|
E--------------------5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--|

E--------------------------------------|
B--P.M.  .  . . . .  . . . .  . . . . -|
G--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--------------------|
D--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--|
A--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--|
E--------------------7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--|

E--------------------------------------|
B--P.M.  .  . . . .  ------------------|
G--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--------------------|
D--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--|
A--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--|
E--------------------7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--|

Riff 3

E--------------------------------------|
B--P.M.  .  . . . .  . . . .  . . . . -|
G--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--|
D--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--|
A--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--|
E--------------------------------------|

E--------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------|
G----9----9----10----10----11----11----|
D----9----9----10----10----11----11----|
A----7----7----8-----8-----9-----9-----|
E--------------------------------------|

E--------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------|
G--------------------------------------|
D--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--|
A--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--|
E--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--|

Solo

E|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
B------------------------------|-----9------9--10--10--10-9---------|
G-----9-----9--11-------11-----|--------11-------------------11-----|
D--------9---------9-9---------|------------------------------------|
A------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E------------------------------|------------------------------------|

E-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B--9-------------9------------------------12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12--|
G-----11--9--11-----9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9---------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E-----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
B-----------------------------------|-----9---------9--10-----------|
G-----9--9-----9--11----------------|--------9--11---------9~~~~----|
D-----------9---------9-9-9-9-9-----|-------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------|-------------------------------|

E-----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
B-----9---9-------------------9-----|-------------------------------|
G-------------11----9----11---------|------9-9-9-9-----9-9-9-9------|
D-----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------|-------------------------------|



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Intro:

Riff 1 - 2 times.

Verse:

Riff 2 - 2 times.

Chorus:

Riff 2 - 1 time.
Riff 1 - 1 time.

Verse:

Riff 2 - 2 times.
Riff 1 - 1 time.

Bridge:

Riff 3 - 1 time.

Chorus:

Riff 2 - 2 times.
Riff 1 - 1 time.

Solo played over:

Riff 2 - 2 times.
Riff 1 - 1 time.

Bridge:

Riff 3 - 1 time.

Chorus:

Riff 2 until the song fades out.



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