what's the difference with power chords and regular guitar chords?

Not a dumb question.

A bar chord (some call power) is a fuller chord as you typically use 5 - 6 strings.

Regular chords - are sometimes seem easier, but that is because we were taught on them, but often times bar chords are easier to change more quickly. E(no bar) G(bar) A(bar) are all just about the same fingering with the exception being the E as the nut of the guitar acts as the bar. B(bar) C(bar) D(bar) exact same fingering 1st fret third fret then fifth fret.

Also as you get into doing scales (leads) you can often hop from a chord to a lead to a chord more rapidly from a bar.

Merry Christmas.

Power chords consist of the root note, the 5th, and the octave.

Regular chords consist of the root, the third, the 5th etc.

Power chords are easy to play just about anywhere on the neck, but lend very little harmonic texture to a song. They do not have a major or minor third interval. A chord needs this interval in order to make it a major or minor chord.

If you're playing a song with a lot of distortion, strumming a full chord might create too much dissonance. Plus if you have a fast chord change, it's often easier to use power chords for the really fast part.

Power chords is just a common name for something called a fifth (the interval in musical terms being played) it gets its name from its association with rock and roll and the electric guitar. They are actually considerably easier than your basic open chords most people learn first and can usually be picked up in a few minutes (although everyone is different)

also a power chord only contains two notes (I know your holding down three strings but two of the notes are the same) whereas a triad which is what most people are playing when they play a "chord" on the guitar has 3 different notes (again, even if you are playing more string there are rarely more than three unrepeated notes), finally a true chord contains four or more unrepeated notes.

In terms of intervals these are the ones contained in each case in general:

Power Chord = 1 and 5

"chord" triad = 1, 3 and 5

True Chord = 1,3, 5 and 7

Interesting takes on what is and isn't what is phased power chords. It has been my experience that (and I play by ear) that the power chord is the bar chord where the index finger expands across the fret and the other fingers are arranged in different positions giving a more fuller sound and from this position you can work out of it for leads or whatever. Whereas the more simple chord positions using just 3 fingers for example the D A or the E are not power and do not give forth as much sound.

Power Chords On Acoustic

Yeah that's nothing more than an A major chord, hold down the 2nd fret on the B, G, and D strings and it's the same chord. Rock on bro!

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Your definitions are actually backwards.

Power chords are super easy to play.

This page explains a lot...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_chord

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