TECHNIQUE CHECK...

Get your fingers in the right place and your powerchords will rock!

1 QUARTER TONE BEND

To bend the low E string, pull down towards the floor. Technically, a quarter tone is halfway between frets, but the precise amount you bend is up to you.

3 FRET-HAND MUTING

Let your first finger rest gently on the strings you’re not playing. That will stop them ringing out when you don’t want them to.

2 PULL-OFF

As you reach the end of your bend, allow the string to snap back into place from under your finger. That will make the open string sound without you having to pick it.

4 PICK-HAND MUTING

Bars 1 to 2 of our tab example have a rest on beat 4. The guitar should be silent for that, so drop your palm onto the strings to keep them quiet.

5 E MAJOR CHORD

Paul’s also learning T-rex’s 20th Century Boy, which uses the techniques from this lesson plus this chord.