When songwriting...?

Question:1) when should you use bar chords?

2) What are the differences between bar chords and power chords?

3) How do I know When I should use power chords or bar chords?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: 1) when should you use bar chords?

2) What are the differences between bar chords and power chords?

3) How do I know When I should use power chords or bar chords?

Use bar chords for convenience, or to easily transpose songs to a different key. The beauty of the barre is that you simply shift to different frets, but retain the same chord patters.

Power chords are usually only 2 notes, instead of the 3 notes in a triad, or 4 notes in a 7th chord.

Use bar chords when you play rock, folk, or any type of strumming music. Use power chords when you play music by The Who.

Answer #1 is really good. Open chords, including power chords, are optimal to barre chords. The acoustical properties of the strings are compromised when an entire fret is barred.

Use power chords when you are distorting. =)

I prefer to use oddly-voiced open chords when I can, because I like the sound of open strings. Gets a resonance that closed strings don't.

When writing a song, feel free to use all barre chords, especially if it's something you're singing over. That way you're keeping the same basic fingering patterns and you won't be distracted by weird fingerings... well, you'll want to get good enough to do those, too, though. =)

Basically, do what's comfortable.

I find it personally harder to sing over power chords, I need those color notes to keep in tune. =)

Saul