F power chord (fifth)
How to play F5 — Power chord (fifth)
F5 (Power chord (fifth))F · C
Guitar samples: Acoustic guitar — University of Iowa (via tonejs-instruments, CC-BY 3.0)
F power chord (fifth) — notes and structure
The F5 chord is just the root and fifth (no third), so it is neither major nor minor — the backbone of rock and metal riffs.
The F5 power chord (fifth) consists of the notes F, C. 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.
F5 stacks a perfect fifth (C) above the root F.
The finder shows 2 ways to play F5 — an open-position shape reaching up to the 6th fret. None of them need a barre.
What key is F5 in?
Every note of F5 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 IV chord
- F major — the I chord
- B♭ major — the V chord
- E♭ major — the II chord
Chords that go with F5
In C major, the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth degrees carry most songs — put F5 next to these:
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the F power chord (fifth)?
- The F5 chord contains the notes F, C. 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 F5 on guitar?
- 2 voicings are shown on this page — from open position up the neck — each with its own fingering diagram and audio.
- Is F5 a hard chord to play?
- It is fairly beginner-friendly — there is an open-position shape and none of the voicings need a barre.
- What key does F5 belong to?
- F5 fits C major (where it is the IV chord), F major (where it is the I chord), B♭ major (where it is the V chord) — every note of the chord is in those scales.