I’d been playing for about two months when I had my first band experience. I went to a rehearsal studio with some more experienced friends, and I tried to play some simple three-chord classic rock tunes with the band. But chord switching was a nightmare. I simply could not change chords cleanly and strum in time.

I did know “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath and could slide the power chords in time while playing eight-note down strums. The other band members knew the tune well enough, so we gave it a try. As far as I was concerned, I felt like I was on stage at Madison Square Garden.

The rush of being a part of the group that created that huge rock sound was addicting.

Truth is, I don’t remember if it sounded good or not. I do remember keeping up with the chord changes and I felt like a rock star.

And that, my friends, is the power of the power chord. Let's get started!