Learning this classic Chuck Berry tune can be lots of fun and will help develop your rhythm skills. Plus, there’s also some tasty string bending action included!
Understanding and recreating an artist’s signature sound can be challenging, but by paying attention to key components and experimenting with your equipment you can come closer to that signature Johnny B Goode sound!
1. A5
This A5 chord (commonly known as A power chord or A no 3rd) is one of the most frequently used and flexible guitar chords for beginners, found across numerous genres from rock to metal and blues music.
Power chords consist of just two notes – the root and fifth – with no major or minor tonality, making them an excellent starting point for beginning guitarists who wish to explore rock, punk and heavier styles of music.
To create the A5 power chord, place your first finger at the seventh fret on the third string while your second touches only the thickest strings at fifth fret on sixth string and strumming all thick strings for best sound! Strum just thick strings if possible! This will produce its distinct sound.
2. D5
This rock and roll classic features an easy-to-play D5 power chord. Power chords are among the simplest guitar chords, yet can add a lot of character to a song. To play one, fret the root note with one finger before using other fingers to mute any open strings – practice until all fingers remain on the fretboard without lifting!
This track from Chuck Berry’s album One Dozen Berrys is an intermediate-level song that shows off piano and guitar’s harmony perfectly.
Chuck Berry released this tune as a beautiful farewell before his passing, using G, C and D chords in a blues progression as part of its progression.
3. E5
Johnny B Goode was Chuck Berry’s breakout song and became one of the most iconic tracks ever.
E5 is a power chord, which refers to any guitar chord consisting of only two notes; E and B (root and fifth respectively). As opposed to most chords, power chords do not contain either major or minor third notes resulting in more distinct melodies and feel.
Guitarists playing power chords may add extra weight by layering an octave doubling over their roots to add dimension and fullness. This technique is commonly employed by metal artists. Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and numerous other hard rock, heavy metal, and punk musicians often employ power chords as part of their sound.
4. G5
G5 chord is an extremely useful power chord to have at your disposal in many different genres and settings. Consisting of only two notes – its root and 5th, it’s easy to play anywhere on the fretboard and can sound great with overdrive or distortion!
Chuck Berry’s song Johnny B. Goode became one of his signature hits and is regarded as one of the most legendary tracks ever created in music history. It inspired many musicians, contributing to its fame and even helping shape rock n roll as we know it today.
It has become such an icon that it was included on Voyager 1’s 27-track Golden Record to give extraterrestrials a taste of earthly music. All guitarists should become familiar with this classic! It should definitely be in their repertoire!
5. C5
C5 guitar chords, more commonly referred to as C major chords, are considered power chords or power trios. As their name implies, power chords consist of only two notes – root and fifth scale degree. Their absence of third note gives these chords their distinctive sound as well as making them suitable for playing with distortion.
As with any power chord, this one requires lots of practice to perfect. To achieve success, make sure your fingers are relaxed and not tense, and move the chord shape around on the fretboard to memorize its finger positioning. A helpful tool like ChordBank listens to your playing and guides each finger individually through its 30 day free trial here.