E power chord (fifth)
How to play E5 — Power chord (fifth)
E5 (Power chord (fifth))E · B
Guitar samples: Acoustic guitar — University of Iowa (via tonejs-instruments, CC-BY 3.0)
E power chord (fifth) — notes and structure
The E5 chord is just the root and fifth (no third), so it is neither major nor minor — the backbone of rock and metal riffs.
The E5 power chord (fifth) consists of the notes E, B. 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.
E5 stacks a perfect fifth (B) above the root E.
The finder shows 2 ways to play E5 — an open-position shape reaching up to the 5th fret. 1 of them use a barre.
What key is E5 in?
Every note of E5 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 III chord
- G major — the VI chord
- D major — the II chord
- A major — the V chord
Chords that go with E5
In C major, the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth degrees carry most songs — put E5 next to these:
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the E power chord (fifth)?
- The E5 chord contains the notes E, B. 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 E5 on guitar?
- 2 voicings are shown on this page — from open position up the neck — each with its own fingering diagram and audio.
- Is E5 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 E5 belong to?
- E5 fits C major (where it is the III chord), G major (where it is the VI chord), D major (where it is the II chord) — every note of the chord is in those scales.