by Daniel Cloud

Created on: January 30, 2011

A punk band, say the Ramones, perhaps the most popular and considered by many to be one of the founders requires only knowledge of a beat and playing power chords. For example a power chord (you don't even have to know it is) is just the pointer finger on say the 5th fret of the top string (E-string) and then go to the next two strings and hold down the 7th frets. Then you can move the fingers in the same way down the guitar. In guitar tablature here is A, G and E power chords. Very easy to play.

D -7-5-2
A -7-5-2
E -5-3-0

The top string is put on the bottom of the tablature; not sure who decided that one! The essence of punk rock comes from playing 3 or 4 chords, usually on a major scale (also don't need to know) to a steady drum beat and fast guitar and bass playing.

To be, in essence, a punk band, if you can play one power chord and then play a few more, then you are set. Your songs generally sound the same unless you can mix up the beat or learn some scales to add flavor, but the definition of a punk band is being pissed, playing a few power chords, and beating the hell out of the drums.

Newer post-punk bands such as Big Wig, Boy Sets Fire, and Fugazi stray from this type of playing, but it is always the backbone of the guitar. The bass simply plays the root note, which is nothing more than the 5, 3, or 0 without the other frets. Simple and easy, anyone can get it in one try.

Simplicity and speed is the hallmark of punk bands ranging from Black Flag to the Sex Pistols to the Ramones, all the way to Pennywise, a post-punk band that rarely leaves the original backbone of punk.

Other pop-punk bands such as Green Day, Blink-182, and New Found Glory also stay with this structure, although try to mix it up for the most part.

Whether you are wanting a technical punk band that plays 2 minute solos, or you want a 90 second song playing 3 power chords 8 times each over and over, you can call yourself a punk band. How good you really are is debateable, but so is all musical taste.

Technically, a punk band does not need to know anything except the structure of a power chord and play several of them. Knowing the notes is not even necessary. The drummer merely has to keep a solid fast beat, without mixing it up, although most punk drummers generally change it up a tad. As for the bassist, a monkey can take care of these duties.

I was in a "punk band" in college and we took the normal backbone of punk for the root structure of a song. However, we tried to bring out more alternative sounds, and mixing it up. All in all, if you want a fun band, don't know how to play, and want to sound like you do, then place your fingers on that guitar for a power chord, and play 3 or 4 over and over while the drums just deliver a gunshot bang sound.

The original punk musicians couldn't tell you what they were playing, they just thought it was fast and in your face. You do not need to understand music theory or education to be in a punk band, but it makes the difference between sounding the same and being recognized for a different sound.

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