E5 Power Chord
7th Fret · A-String RootThe standard moveable E5, rooted on E at fret 7 of the A string: index at fret 7, then flatten your ring finger across the D and G strings at fret 9. The same two-finger grip as every other power chord.
E5 Power Chord
Open PositionOpen E5 (0-2-2-x-x-x): low E open (E), then flatten your index across the A and D strings at fret 2 (B, then E an octave up). Strum only the bottom three strings.
E5 Power Chord
Two-Note DyadE and B only — one open string and one fretted note. The simplest chord on the guitar, and the anchor of countless riffs.
The lowest chord you have
With the open low E as the root, E5 is the deepest power chord in standard tuning. Nothing else reaches further down without retuning.
One finger will do
Drop the octave and E5 is a single fretted note over an open string. It is often the first chord a beginner can actually play in time.
Neither major nor minor
E5 has no G# and no G, so it belongs to neither E major nor E minor — and fits comfortably in both.
Palm mute it
Rest the edge of your picking hand on the strings near the bridge. The chugging palm-muted E5 is the backbone of punk and metal rhythm playing.
Watch the open string ring
The open low E keeps sounding after you lift. Damp it with the side of your fretting hand when the riff moves on.
About the E5 Power Chord on Guitar
The E5 power chord is built from two notes: E (the root) and B (the perfect 5th). It leaves out the 3rd entirely, so it is neither major nor minor — it will sit under an E major progression or an E minor one without ever sounding wrong. E5 has a special place on the guitar because the open low E string is the lowest note available in standard tuning, making it the deepest power chord you can play. That, plus the fact that the two-note version needs a single finger, is why so many rock and metal riffs are anchored on E5. This page covers three voicings: the open shape, the bare dyad, and a moveable A-string form. Every diagram is interactive and playable with acoustic guitar sound.
- 013 E5 power chord shapes from beginner to intermediate
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Moveable A-string form plus the open low-E root and two-note dyad
- 05The lowest power chord available in standard tuning
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 2 notes that form the 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.