Power chord chord
The power chord: a root and a perfect fifth with no third. It is neither major nor minor, and it is the basic voicing of rock and metal guitar. Spelled in all twelve keys, with guitar shapes and piano diagrams.
On C
- Symbol
- C5
- Formula
- 1 5
- Notes
- 2
What it sounds like
A power chord has two notes, the root and the perfect fifth seven semitones above it. Without a third, the chord has no major or minor quality, so the ear hears it as open and unspecific. The fifth is the most consonant interval after the octave, which gives the chord a clean and solid sound. Because the third is missing, the chord fits either a major or a minor context. Distortion adds overtones that thicken the two notes and give the chord its weight.
How it is used
Power chords sit on whichever degree a riff needs, and the bass note usually sets the root. Rock, punk and metal guitar build much of their harmony from them, often in repeated riffs that move through the roots of I, IV and V. Because the chord has no third, it does not commit to a mode, so the same shape works under a passage that could be heard as major or minor. Power chords do not resolve in the usual sense, so the next chord shapes their sound.
How it is built
A power chord is a root and a perfect fifth, 0 and 7 semitones above the root. The usual symbol is C5. An octave doubling of the root is common on guitar and does not change the chord's name. Inverted, C5 becomes G and C, a perfect fourth, with the fifth in the bass. Because the chord has only two pitch classes, it has no third to distinguish major from minor, and the same shape serves on every root.
How to practise it
Play a power chord on each root from C upward through D, E, F and G, with the root on the lowest string and the fifth on the string above it. Play the sequence with palm muting and listen for the absence of a third. Then add an E above C5 for C major, and an E♭ for C minor, and hear how the third sets the quality.
Power chord chord in every key
Every chord is spelled by letter name. Click a symbol for its page, with inversions and guitar shapes.
| Chord | Notes | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| C5 | C G | |
| C♯5 | C♯ G♯ | |
| D♭5 | D♭ A♭ | |
| D5 | D A | |
| E♭5 | E♭ B♭ | |
| E5 | E B | |
| F5 | F C | |
| F♯5 | F♯ C♯ | |
| G♭5 | G♭ D♭ | |
| G5 | G D | |
| G♯5 | G♯ D♯ | |
| A♭5 | A♭ E♭ | |
| A5 | A E | |
| B♭5 | B♭ F | |
| B5 | B F♯ |
Further reading
- Barre Chords Explained: The E Shape and the A ShapeGuitar & Fretboard · 7 min
- Chord Symbols Explained: Major, Minor, Seventh and Slash ChordsHarmony · 8 min
- Reading Guitar Tabs and Chord Diagrams for BeginnersGuitar & Fretboard · 7 min
Questions
Is a power chord major or minor?
Neither. A power chord has a root and a fifth but no third, and the third is the note that decides major or minor. C5 contains only C and G, so the ear hears it as open. Adding E makes it major, and adding E♭ makes it minor. Power chords work in both kinds of key.
Why do guitarists use power chords with distortion?
Distortion creates overtones above the played notes, and a third can clash with many of them and sound muddy. A power chord has only two notes, so the overtones stay clear and the sound is loud and solid. The root and fifth reinforce each other, which keeps the chord clean as the gain increases.
What is the difference between C5 and C?
C5 is a power chord with C and G only. C is a C major triad with C, E and G. The third, E, is missing from C5, so the chord is neither major nor minor. C5 is the usual choice when the mode is unknown, or when a guitar part needs to sound solid and clean.