How to Play a G Power Chord (G5) on Guitar
Welcome to the tutorial on the G 5 chord, a fundamental member of the power chords family. This chord, like all power chords, is characterized by its simplicity and potency, making it a staple in genres like rock and punk. It's composed of only two notes: the Root (G) and the Perfect Fifth (D). This stripped-down composition gives the G 5 chord its raw, powerful sound that's perfect for driving a song's rhythm.
Understanding the intervals that build this chord is key to mastering it. The G 5 chord is built with just two intervals: the 1, or Root, and the 5, or Perfect Fifth. If you're interested in learning more about how chords are built by stacking intervals, check out our tutorial on building chords.
The G 5 chord is a great starting point for beginners, but it also has a place in the repertoire of more advanced guitarists. It's a versatile chord that can be played in various positions on the fretboard, and learning these different positions can help you add variety to your playing. To learn more about this, you can refer to our tutorial about more advanced chords.
Power chords like the G 5 are the foundation of many genres, from rock to punk to heavy music. They sound great on an electric guitar with a bit of distortion, because they are composed only of the root and the fifth. To dive deeper into the world of power chords, check out our tutorial on power chords.
Finally, if you're interested in learning how to name chords based on the intervals that compose them, take a look at our tutorial on chord notation. And if you have a chord shape and you're not sure how to name it, our interactive tool can help you figure it out. Happy playing!
Notes that compose the G 5 chord:
GD
How the Powerchord chord is built:
Guitar Patterns for the G Powerchord chord
Chord boxes are sorted from the easiest to the hardest. Learn how to read chord diagrams.
If you have difficulties with bar chord shapes, check the Bar Chords Tips tutorial.
You can also use this accessible chords page with written diagrams instruction.
Position 1
Movable
Position 2
Open
Position 3
Movable
Position 4
Movable
Position 5
Movable
Position 6
Movable
Position 7
Open
Position 8
Movable
Position 9
Movable
Position 10
BarreMovable
Position 11
BarreMovable
You can 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
Complete Fretboard Map of G 5 chord tones
You can create any fingering you like on any part of the fretboard, just play some of the chord tones shown in the map below.