Hi Abby @Abby34, welcome to the community! Isn’t it great when a lesson gives an “aha” moment? If you’re feeling social, head over to the Introduce Yourself topic and tell us about your guitar journey so far. 
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I was starting to go through the songs in the Vintage Songbook and saw a good use of power chords on an acoustic guitar. Look at the intro to Bye Bye Love in the website song lesson.
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Can i use the middle Finger to mute the E String, cause ist hanging out there anyways?
I just watched video/lesson 12, grade 2 yesterday, twice. I got the basic fretting fingerings down, and practiced them a bit. I went back at it today and was really seeing some improvement. Amazing. I found not using the thinnest pick made for a better sound. The thinner pick seemed to rip across the strings, reminding me of a stick hitting pickets as you walk by it, or a baseball card being hit by bicycle spokes as a kid; it had a thwap thwap thwapping sound from the pick. Not so much with the thicker pick. I’m placing my fretting hand on the strings, pluck each string to make sure I’ve got the proper strings muted where necessary, then strum it a few tmes, and compare it to the full chord using more strings to compare the sound of each one. Practicing the slide from G to A to B, and then C, to D, to E. Then making the change from G to C for now. I can really see it’ll come along soon and I’ll be able to use it in songs. The only thing I’m noticing is that when I up strum, as there are no notes being played on the 3 lowest strings, it sounds ‘off’. Are power chords generally played using down strums, or do I need to try and hit the strings that will ring out notes for the chord on the up strums? Early strum habits are having my strumming hand, on the up strum, bringing the pick up over strings 1, 2 and 3, fine for full chords, but making that ugly thwapping sound on power chords. Other than all this, I’m trying to slide my left thumb in varying positions to see which works best. Seems further away from my index finger for now is more comfy when playing further towards the nut, and more comfy closer to my index finger when I slide down towards the bridge. (due to less space between frets there I guess). I’m also trying the 3 finger power chord when fretting, and as I use 2 a lot for the A chord, I’ll give that a try as well. Can’t hurt to learn both, right? Sorry for the long novel here. Wanted to share my learning experience. Hope it helps others. Happy for advice as well. Thanks!
I’d say “not really”. Metal is usually down in things I have looked at, but I have also seen a lot of 2-string chords get picked with up when you need to go fast or to keep with the ‘and’. It does sound a little different, so can be used as accent.
I moved to stiffer picks very soon after getting a good grip on my strumming, and then stiffer yet around the power chord lessons. I was using the same orange Tortex Justin uses at this time. About 2 years later, I am using a slightly stiffer and thicker Ultrex 0.88mm. Not as comfortable for strumming, but I can work with it. Stiffer is much better for when you eventually pick individual strings.
Try to get comfortable with three finger. I didn’t and struggled with barre chords more than necessary. Getting control over finger three and four together will help barre later.
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I should have mentioned, I have an acoustic guitar. From watching Justin’s video and reading here, I see electric would sound different/better?
I agree about using the 3 fingers for power chords, as like you said, it carries over to barre chords. I use my middle and ring fingers for the A chord nearer the nut. I used my index and ring or pinky for 2 finger power chords when I tried it. Good to be able to do both I think; more tools in the arsenal. I did find it more comfortable curling the middle finger in towards the strings though when using 3 fingers for power chords. Thanks for the replies.
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Power chords are a staple of the electric rock sound. I like the sound of them with a variety distortion levels. They do sound different on nylon versus steel and certainly different when distorted. I think the nylon sounds too soft for the chord to stand out strongly compared to the full chords you have been learning.
However, I also play power chords clean. There are plenty of songs played on acoustic with just two strings - the blues “chunka-chunka” shuffle is an example in your very near future. 
A hint of your future - think of how the open E would look if you used fingers 2, 3, and 4. This is the shape the first barre you learn will take. The problem with it is usually getting all fingers in place quickly and completely - for me especially finger 1 and not muting with finger 4. But this is a topic for another thread. 
Thanks sequences, it’s funny, I find making a full C chord I’m putting down the index generally fist, then the rest. When I make a 3 finger A chord, I put the ring down first. Going for barre chords, I find I’m putting down the pinky and ring first, almost at once, and then roll the middle to the index fingers. I guess whatever works. It’s getting easier for sure. One day it’ll become 2nd nature.
Wonderful lesson by Justin here. I’ve been practicing power chords for awhile now with several songs I’m working on. The first and one of the first full songs I actually learned was Rock you Like a Hurricane - mainly because I learned the riff and found that the entire song was basically just variations on those same power chords.
Thanks to Justin here I now realize the value in muting those higher strings… I had the same belief he said early on in the video that in fast, strummed power chord sections theys just deliberately and very accurately hit only the right strings. I always muted the 6th when playing with a root on the 5th, but muting these higher strings was a big breakthrough for me and makes it so much easier to play a couple of the other songs I’m working on - The Kids Aren’t Alright and Pretty Fly for a White Guy, both by the Offspring.
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theryanfamford, what do you do on up-strums, or do you play up-strums?
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With Metal, Rock, and/or punk you really want to go for all down strums.
With the down picking you are giving a consistent attack on the base strings. You are hitting the ears with the important part first. Like when chugging along on a power chord gives a consistent rhythmic tone.
You can alternate pick it as well, but you will notice inconsistencies in that deep base sound. If its just a back ground chord rythem thats one thing but power chords yeah its in your face stuff. We know there are exceptions of course, and the muting will still be in play.
But for a beginner you got to practice. Stretching first of course, its a work out, right? Train up to it and get used to the burn and you want to try and gives it that feel and the presence of power.
Could you Imagine James Hetfield playing Creeping Death or Seek and Destroy with down and up strumming? I think not.
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I’m just trying these out for the first time, so far so good, however am getting an achy forearm quite quickly. I’m finding it worse than barre chords some how? I’m trying to not overdo it and conscious it may be technique or is it normal in this stage? I see others in the topic have had issues before.
As for positioning I mostly now play in the classical position or most recently I’ve been standing up as I found barre chords easier like this. I have the strap and angle quite high.
Am I doing something wrong here?
Rick111, I’ll have to try power chords standing up to see if it feels different/makes them easier to play or not. An achy forearm could be because you’re squeezing your fingers too tightly, or have your wrist bent at an awkward angle. Try relaxing your arm, wrist, and maybe the fingers a bit and see what that does. I know for me, whenever I slide my thumb one way or the other behind the neck, it makes a huge difference.
I am thoroughly enjoying the Justin Guitar course, and also learning and applying the skills necessary to play some songs. After completing the section, Grade 2, module 12, on power chords, it wasn’t really discussed playing power chords being played on an acoustic guitar. I think I am at the point where I should look into getting an electric guitar soon, but I am wondering how or if power chords are adaptable to playing an acoustic guitar, especially if it’s not plugged into an amp as some are capable of doing, or not into a mic, say, in a campfire or livingroom setting. They seem to sound fine to me, but not quite the same as the full chords played on all or most of the 6 strings. Any thoughts on that would be most helpful and appreciated. I guess I’m left wondering if power chords are more related and better played on an electric guitar. Thanks.
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I really like and appreciate the lesson outline notes at the end of the videos. Very helpful for referring back when reviewing lessons.
Power chords can certainly be played on an acoustic. The only thing that’s not really ideal on acoustic is string bending, just because it’s difficult, otherwise you can do anything you like on acoustic.
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My power chords sound dreadful, and my forearm hurts like billy-oh after a short while. I’ll persevere, but i’m not confident i’ll get this.
My F barre chord is dreadful - i can’t get the bottom 3 strings to ring, so i thought that this would help muting the strings for power chords…nope. 
Welcome! Maybe slow it down. Play one string at a time to see where the issue lies. Let the speed come naturally. Sounds like you’re tensing up. Relax and it’ll come naturally to you. Power chords, the G, A, B, C, D, E took a while for me, but I got there. Still working on the E minor shapes and A’s. It all takes time. I have a problem getting at least 1 of the lower strings to ring out on F barre chord shapes. I still have to go slow, ring one string at a time, and see where the issue lies. When I hear a good ring all over, I compare it to a mini-F chord, and darn, if I didn’t get it. So I imagine that too will come in time. Be patient. Record yourself and play it back to progress in a week, month, etc. You’ll get it eventually.
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Many, many thanks for the reply. I was trying to run before i could walk, and trying for too long at one sitting, i guess.
I have been using a work-around, 4-finger F chord, but still work on the barre chord every day. I’m getting better results the further away from the nut i go, perhaps a set-up problem. I’m determined to persevere and loving Justine’s course.
Again,thanks.
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When you say ‘bottom three strings’ are you talking about EAD or GBe? The bottom three strings are the three thickest strings (i.e. lowest notes). Many people incorrectly refer to the thinnest three strings as the ‘bottom’ strings, as they are closest to the floor.
If you are struggling to get the E,A & D strings to ring on a barre chord, a setup might help. If it’s the G,B & e strings that aren’t ringing it’s most likely technique, as these don’t require a lot of force to fret.