Can you play a G chord in unison with a G barre chord?

by Stephen
(canada)

Can you play a G chord in unison with a G barre chord?I need to know if they sound right together.People have told me to only press on the top string of a 3 fingered power chord and mute the rest of the string is this right?thanks-steve

ANSWER

Hi,Steve--

The answer is YES, in isolation, the two chords are fine together. The complication comes when you consider the chord sequence in which the chords occur.

The power chord has only a root and a 5th, which means that the 3rd--the note which determines the
major or minor quality of the chord--is left out.

If the chord progression calls for a G major chord, then YES--you can also play the G power chords. If however, the chord progression calls for a G minor chord, then obviously it won't work.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand your question about the top string of the power chord.

Lynne