Explore E5 Guitar Chord Shapes and Fingerings

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Visualizing the E5 guitar chord across the fretboard unlocks its powerful potential for rock and metal. This essential power chord, also known as a '5' chord, is built on the fundamental intervals of the 1 (Root) and the 5 (Perfect Fifth), giving it a robust and driving sound. On the guitar, this translates to the notes E and B. Our interactive virtual fretboard allows you to see exactly where to place your fingers, explore different shapes, and even verify your playing accuracy with real-time mic feedback. Dive in and start experimenting with its spatial layout.

Power chords like the E5 guitar chord are the backbone of countless rock, punk, and metal riffs, delivering a distinct, heavy sound when amplified with distortion. Their simplicity, being composed solely of the Root and the Fifth, makes them incredibly versatile for songwriting and performance. To deepen your understanding of these crucial building blocks, explore our comprehensive Power Chords tutorial. If you're interested in the underlying principles of how notes and intervals form chords, our Chord Construction guide offers valuable insights.

Below, you'll find various E5 guitar chord diagrams, arranged from the most straightforward to more advanced voicings, along with comprehensive theory and practical applications in songs across different keys. We encourage you to first utilize our interactive tool above to visually explore and understand the unique fretboard geometry of each E5 guitar chord shape before committing them to memory. Experiment with these shapes and discover how they feel under your fingers.

The E power chord is also written as E5, E(no 3rd) or E(omit 3).

Notes in the E 5 chord:

E B

How to create the Powerchord chord:

E 5 Guitar Chord Diagrams

Position 1 Open

Finger Positions

Let the low E string play without pressing any fret
Mute the D string
Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the A string

Position 2 Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the D string

Position 3 Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the D string
Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 12 of the low E string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 14 of the A string

Position 4 Open

Finger Positions

Let the low E string play without pressing any fret
Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the D string

Position 5 Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the D string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 9 of the G string

Position 6 Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Mute the A string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 2 of the D string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 4 of the G string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the B string

Position 7 Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 12 of the low E string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 14 of the A string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 14 of the D string

Position 8 Open

Finger Positions

Let the low E string play without pressing any fret
Mute the G string
Let the B string play without pressing any fret
Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 2 of the D string

Position 9 Open

Finger Positions

Let the low E string play without pressing any fret
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the D string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 9 of the G string

Position 10 Barre Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Mute the A string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 9 of the D and G strings at the same time

Position 11 Barre Open

Finger Positions

Let the low E string play without pressing any fret
Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the A and D strings at the same time

Position 12 Open

Finger Positions

Let the low E string play without pressing any fret
Let the B string play without pressing any fret
Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the D string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 9 of the G string

Position 13 Barre Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the low E and A strings at the same time
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the D string

Position 14 Barre Open

Finger Positions

Let the low E string play without pressing any fret
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 2 of the A and D strings at the same time
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 4 of the G string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the B string

Find more shapes in our all guitar chords online library. If you prefer a printable pdf, download the Free Guitar Chords Chart Pdf

Play This Chord With Other Roots

C 5 | D 5 | E 5 | F 5 | G 5 | A 5 | B 5 | C#5 | D#5 | F#5 | G#5 | A#5 | Ab5 | Bb5 | Db5 | Eb5 | Gb5

Want to Learn Everything About Chords?

Check Chords Domination out: a unique ebook that shows you finger positions, note names and intervals in the chords (plus a tones fretboard maps)

You'll learn how to play 44 chords types across all the fretboard, with many voicings and fingerings

In the ebook you can also find maps show you the tones in a chord all along the fretboard. They are incredibly helpful because allow you to:

Create new voicings on the fly, across all the neck
Improvise targeting the right notes
Unlock the fretboard and expand the CAGED system.

In the new ebook, Chords Domination, you'll find the fretboard tones maps for 44 different qualities of chords. Check it out:

Download Free Excerpt Learn More Here

Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher

FAQ

What is an E5 power chord?

The E5 power chord is a fundamental type of '5' chord, characterized by its robust and powerful sound. It belongs to the power chord family, which forms the backbone of many musical genres like rock, punk, and heavy music.

What specific notes make up the E5 chord?

The E5 chord is composed of just two notes: E and B. The 'E' is the Root note, and the 'B' is the Perfect Fifth interval above it.

Why are power chords like E5 called '5' chords?

Power chords are known as '5' chords because they are constructed using only two specific musical intervals: the 1 (Root) and the 5 (Perfect Fifth). The '5' in the name directly refers to the inclusion of the Perfect Fifth interval.

What musical intervals are used to build the E5 power chord?

The E5 power chord is built using two essential musical intervals: the 1 (Root) and the 5 (Perfect Fifth). These specific intervals are what define all power chords.

How does the E5 power chord typically sound, and in which music genres is it often found?

The E5 power chord has a distinctively robust and powerful sound. Due to this characteristic, it is a staple in various musical genres, particularly rock, punk, and heavy music, where it often forms the core of guitar riffs and progressions.