power octaves
 

watched a video with john paul jones the other day and he was discussing power octaves.

To my understanding this would be like playing a note simultaneously with it's octave either higher or lower. For instance stricking an open A while and the fifth fret on the E string.

The purpose is to give more ompf the note.

Now my question is just to better understand the purpose and usefullness of this tecnique... or even if my understanding is correct at all.

In higher registers you can throw in the fifth and have yourself a more fleshed out major chord

This would be unison, not an octave.

This is correct.

He does the unison/octave on the Whole Lotta Love riff.

EDIT: I belive this is the video you're talking about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMYkl6sE6qU

and you end up with this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3unrerTb0A

Very cool. Must try this at some point.

I do it all the time. It's great. Used to do it trying to imitate Tom Petersson's 12 string on a couple Cheap Trick tunes we were doing, then started incorporating it into songs I wrote and other covers I did.

It's also referred to as an octave chord and it can be great for bass soloing or jazz bass where bass chords get used a lot. It's also up there with the 10th chord for its very clean voicing and the fact that it's well above the low interval limit anywhere on the bass' neck (doesn't sound the least bit muddy on the first fret or open strings)

Major or Minor?
 

Where's the third?

You're absolutely right! I can't believe I missed that... Lol brain fart

I like doing this in anticipation of moving a bassline to a higher or lower octave... really helps accent notes on the low B.

Not to derail the thread but in that isolated clip of JPJ it sounds like he's using a pick. Just thought he played with fingers.....