Luc Taylor Music School

How to Use This Lesson

This lesson brings together the work you've done with strumming and simple riffs into a classic rock sound. We focus on:

• A comfortable index + pinky power-chord shape (LLGS style).
• A simple rock rhythm pattern: down, down, down, down-up.
• Moving the same shape to create a short four-chord rock line.

You don't need to play fast and you don't need a big stretch. The goal is a relaxed hand, a steady rhythm, and a sound that feels like real rock guitar without hurting your fingers.

Step 1 – The LLGS Power-Chord Shape (Index + Pinky)

We start with a simple two-note power chord built with just your index finger and pinky. This reduces the stretch and keeps your hand relaxed.

• Place your index finger on the 6th string, 3rd fret.
• Place your pinky on the 5th string, 5th fret (two frets higher).

That's the basic LLGS power-chord shape. You don't need to press hard – just enough for the notes to ring clearly when you pick the two strings together. You can move this shape anywhere on the neck: wherever the index finger goes, the chord moves with it.

Step 2 – Muted Rock "Chug" (Right-Hand Warmup)

Before playing full power chords, we warm up the picking hand with a muted rock "chug" on the low strings.

Rest the edge of your picking-hand palm lightly on the strings near the bridge. You're aiming for a tight, chunky sound – not ringing chords.

Start with this very simple pattern:

• Pattern 1 – Four downstrokes: down, down, down, down.

Keep the motion small and relaxed. When that feels comfortable, add a light upstroke at the end:

• Pattern 2 – Rock rhythm: down, down, down, down-up.

This pattern shows up in many rock, punk, and pop songs, so it's worth getting very comfortable with it on muted strings first.

Step 3 – Power Chords on G5 and A5

Now we put the shape and the rhythm together on two chords: one at the 3rd fret and one at the 5th fret of the 6th string.

• Shape 1: index on the 6th string, 3rd fret; pinky on the 5th string, 5th fret.
• Shape 2: slide both fingers up two frets – index to the 5th fret, pinky to the 7th fret.

On each shape, use the rock pattern: down, down, down, down-up.

Go back and forth slowly between the two chords. A small gap while you slide is completely fine – the feel and the steady rhythm matter more than landing perfectly on every beat.

Step 4 – Add Two More Shapes (C5 and D5)

When G5 and A5 feel comfortable, you can add two more power chords based on the 5th string. The good news is that the shape stays exactly the same – you just move it to a new string.

• Move your index to the 5th string, 3rd fret and your pinky to the 4th string, 5th fret.
• Then move that same shape up two frets to the 5th string, 5th fret (index) and 4th string, 7th fret (pinky).

You now have four power chords using the same LLGS index-and-pinky shape:

• 3rd fret – 6th string (G5)
• 5th fret – 6th string (A5)
• 3rd fret – 5th string (C5)
• 5th fret – 5th string (D5)

Try giving each chord one bar of our rock rhythm pattern: down, down, down, down-up, moving slowly from one to the next. You don't need to play the whole line perfectly – even just switching between the first two shapes is enough to get a strong rock sound.

Step 5 – LLGS Diagrams for Clarity

The video uses LLGS-style diagrams to show each power-chord shape clearly. Each diagram focuses only on the strings you play – there are no "X" marks on unused strings, so your eye goes straight to the important notes.

After you see the shape on the real guitar, check the diagram view for a cleaner look at the frets and strings. You can pause the video on any diagram to give yourself time to place your fingers and hear the sound. Think of the diagrams as a simple "app view" of the same shapes you just played.

Practice Ideas

Here are some simple ways to practice this lesson:

• Warm up with muted downstrokes on the low strings for 1–2 minutes.
• Add the rock pattern on muted strings: down, down, down, down-up.
• Practice the LLGS power-chord shape on the 3rd fret of the 6th string until it feels relaxed.
• Slide the shape between the 3rd and 5th frets on the 6th string, using the rock rhythm.
• When you're ready, add the 5th-string versions at the 3rd and 5th frets.
• Try creating a simple four-chord line using G5 → A5 → C5 → D5, one bar on each chord.
• Keep sessions short – 5 to 10 minutes of focused practice on a small group of chords is enough.

Next Steps

Power chords and rock rhythm will show up again and again in your music journey. Getting this comfortable now makes songs in rock, country, punk, and pop much easier to learn and play.

When you're happy with your sound on this lesson, you've completed Level 1 of the core guitar course. From here, you can explore more songs, riffs, and the chord library, or move on to the next set of skills at your own pace. As a bonus graduation gift, there is also a short LLGS-style boogie riff lesson – the LLGS Boogie Walk – an easy way to play one of the most famous guitar moves of all time.

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