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E5 Guitar Chord

A neutral sound from just the root and fifth — without a third, it's neither major nor minor. The foundation of rock, punk and metal music. Typically played with distortion, where full chords would sound "muddy".

Guitar

Strings 0–2–2–X–X–X

How to play the E5 chord on guitar

Read the string pattern 0–2–2–X–X–X from the low E string to the high E string. Numbers in the pattern are frets; numbers in the colored dots are left-hand fingers. X means a muted string and 0 means an open string.

6th string (low E) Open
5th string (A) Fret 2 · middle finger
4th string (D) Fret 2 · ring finger
3rd string (G) Muted
2nd string (B) Muted
1st string (high E) Muted

Other names for the E5 chord

Other names: E power chord, E fifth

Music theory name: power chord (fifth)

Common name: E power chord

Notes and intervals in the E5 chord

Note Interval
E Root
B Perfect 5th

All variations

Fret 12
12–14–X–X–X–X
Fret 7
X–7–9–X–X–X
Fret 12
12–14–14–X–X–X
Open
0–2–2–X–X–X
Open
0–2–2–X–0–0
Fret 7
0–7–9–9–0–0

Songs using E5