A power chord (fifth)
How to play A5 — Power chord (fifth)
A5 (Power chord (fifth))A · E
Guitar samples: Acoustic guitar — University of Iowa (via tonejs-instruments, CC-BY 3.0)
A power chord (fifth) — notes and structure
The A5 chord is just the root and fifth (no third), so it is neither major nor minor — the backbone of rock and metal riffs.
The A5 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.
A5 stacks a perfect fifth (E) above the root A.
The finder shows 2 ways to play A5 — an open-position shape reaching up to the 5th fret. They use a barre.
What key is A5 in?
Every note of A5 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.
- C major — the VI chord
- G major — the II chord
- F major — the III chord
- D major — the V chord
Chords that go with A5
In C major, the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth degrees carry most songs — put A5 next to these:
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the A power chord (fifth)?
- The A5 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 A5 on guitar?
- 2 voicings are shown on this page — from open position up the neck — each with its own fingering diagram and audio.
- Is A5 a hard chord to play?
- Some voicings use a barre, which takes practice, but the chord is very playable once that shape is comfortable.
- What key does A5 belong to?
- A5 fits C major (where it is the VI chord), G major (where it is the II chord), F major (where it is the III chord) — every note of the chord is in those scales.