D#5 or E♭5 Power Chord
6th Fret · A-String RootThe go-to D#5: index on the A string at fret 6 (D#), then flatten your ring finger across the D and G strings at fret 8 (A#, then D# an octave up). Mute the low E and everything above.
D#5 or E♭5 Power Chord
Two-Note DyadD# and A# only — root and 5th, no octave. Two fingers, minimum ring, maximum punch through a distorted amp.
D#5 or E♭5 Power Chord
11th Fret · E-String RootThe same shape on the low E string, rooted on D# at fret 11 — the lowest D#5 available in standard tuning without dropping the tuning itself.
You will usually see E♭5
Flat keys use this chord far more than sharp ones, so most charts write E♭5. The shape does not change.
Two fingers beat a barre
E♭ major needs a full barre. E♭5 needs two fingers on adjacent strings — the fastest way into this key.
Neither major nor minor
With no 3rd, D#5 sits over D# major and D# minor alike. Nothing in the chord commits to either.
Keep the fretting hand quiet
Let unused fingers lie flat across the higher strings. Muting is half of what makes a power chord riff sound tight.
Find the root first
D# is fret 6 on the A string and fret 11 on the low E. Learn those two spots and both shapes fall into place.
About the D#5 Power Chord on Guitar
The D#5 power chord is built from two notes: D# (the root) and A# (the perfect 5th). With no 3rd it is neither major nor minor, which is precisely why rock and metal players reach for it — a bare perfect 5th stays clear under distortion and slots into any progression regardless of key quality. D#5 is enharmonically identical to E♭5, and in practice you will see the flat spelling far more often, because this pitch turns up mostly in flat keys. It is also a practical shortcut: D#/E♭ major requires a barre chord, while D#5 needs two fingers on adjacent strings. This page covers three voicings, all fully moveable. Every diagram is interactive and playable with acoustic guitar sound.
- 013 D#5 or E♭5 power chord shapes from beginner to intermediate
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04A-string root, two-note dyad, and E-string root voicings
- 05Every shape is fully moveable to all 12 roots
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 2 notes that form the D# or E♭ Power chord and their role in the major scale.
Every power chord follows this same formula — root and perfect fifth, with no 3rd. Two notes, so it is neither major nor minor.