A♭ / G♯ power chord (fifth)
How to play A♭5 — Power chord (fifth)
A♭5 (Power chord (fifth))A♭ · E♭
Guitar samples: Acoustic guitar — University of Iowa (via tonejs-instruments, CC-BY 3.0)
A♭ / G♯ power chord (fifth) — notes and structure
The A♭5 chord is just the root and fifth (no third), so it is neither major nor minor — the backbone of rock and metal riffs.
The A♭5 power chord (fifth) consists of the notes A♭, E♭. Its interval structure is R–5 — the root, then each chord tone stacked above it. This is the same chord you see in the interactive finder above, drawn on the guitar fretboard with the root circled and every chord tone labelled.
A♭5 stacks a perfect fifth (E♭) above the root A♭.
The finder shows 2 ways to play A♭5 — movable shapes higher up the neck reaching up to the 13th fret. None of them need a barre.
What key is A♭5 in?
Every note of A♭5 belongs to the scales below, so the chord sounds at home in each of these keys — the roman numeral is the degree it sits on.
- E♭ major — the IV chord
- E major — the III chord
- A♭ major — the I chord
- B major — the VI chord
Chords that go with A♭5
In E♭ major, the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth degrees carry most songs — put A♭5 next to these:
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the A♭ / G♯ power chord (fifth)?
- The A♭5 chord contains the notes A♭, E♭. It is just the root and fifth (no third), so it is neither major nor minor — the backbone of rock and metal riffs.
- How many ways can you play A♭5 on guitar?
- 2 voicings are shown on this page — movable shapes up the neck — each with its own fingering diagram and audio.
- Is A♭5 a hard chord to play?
- It is a movable shape played higher up the neck rather than in open position, so it takes a little more hand strength.
- What key does A♭5 belong to?
- A♭5 fits E♭ major (where it is the IV chord), E major (where it is the III chord), A♭ major (where it is the I chord) — every note of the chord is in those scales.