How To Play E5 Guitar Chord
In today's lesson, we'll go over 3 distinct ways to play the E5 guitar chord. The technical term for this chord is a "5th chord," but its slang term is a "power chord" because it sounds POWERFUL to our ears!
These guitar chords are built using the root note and the fifth note of the scale (hence the number 5) and not only sound great but they are also very easy to learn for beginners.
Power chords are used in all genres but are specifically important for rock and heavy metal music.
E5 Power Chord In Open Position
An open power chord means we'll use the open strings to play the chord. In standard tuning, the lowest note on the guitar is an E note, which we will use for the bass note to play the E5 in an open position. To play, place your:
- Index finger on the fifth string, second fret
You can also add another root note on the fourth string, second fret by barring with your first finger.
E5 chord 7th Position
This next example would be considered a moveable chord. Meaning, you can move the shape up or down the fretboard, and it’s the same fingering.
To play, place your:
- First finger on the fifth string, 7th fret
- Ring finger on the fourth string, 9th fret
While you can also strum the low e string as this note is an octave lower and is part of the chord, this may or may not be the sound the music is calling for.
If your fingers don't stretch and you want to use your pinky, you need to support your hand with your thumb, splitting the difference (see video). If you use your pinky, it will paint you into a corner for things to come later.
You can also add your pinky finger to the third string, 9th fret.
E5 Chord Second Position
The next example is the same fingering, just in a different place on your fretboard. To play, place your:
- First finger on the fourth string, second fret
- Third finger on the third string, fourth fret
Just like last time, you can add in your pinky to add a bit more top end and range to the chord. However, due to how the guitar is tuned in this position, you'll need to add it to the second string, 5th fret.
Notice all these power chords are in the root position (the E note is the lowest sound). Memorize these notes and file them away in your brain. Learning the notes on your fretboard will make everything much easier as you continue on your guitar journey.
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E5 Guitar Chord Theory
Now, let’s break down the theory of the E5 chord so you can better understand how it's constructed and what's going on under the hood.
The E5 guitar chord is built from the E major scale: E F# G# A B C# D#
To understand the chord formula, you need to understand "scale degrees," which is simply numbering the notes of a scale starting with the root note.
Often, music teachers reference the piano due to the simplicity of the layout for scales, but I think the illustration below will do:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
E F# G# A B C# D#
The E5 Chord is Neither Major Nor Minor
In music theory, the 3rd scale degree determines if a chord is major or minor, and because the 3rd scale degree is not part of this chord's formula, it's simply not a major nor minor chord.
If you've read my breakdown of the E major chord, you'd know that an E chord uses notes E G# B, which are chord tones 1 3 5 notes of the scale. To create an E5 chord, all we need is the 1 and the 5 (hence where the number five comes from), which are notes E and B, as you can see in each chord diagram.
If we go a layer deeper with music theory and talk about intervals, it would be the root note and the perfect fifth. (We'll have in-depth discussions on intervals in other lessons)
Using the Power Chords
As already mentioned, because the power chords sound strong, they are used extensively in rock and heavy metal but are found in all types of music.
Because only two notes are used to make this chord, it’s much easier for soloing due to their versatility, and they reduce clutter when using distortion. You'll also find them used for the big chorus in pop songs.
Chord Progressions Using E Power chord
E5 - C5 - D5 - C5 (very popular chord hard rock and metal)
E5 - A5 - B5 (very popular for punk rock)
E5 - B5 - C5 - A5 (very popular for rock and pop)
Now you know a few ways to play the E5 and understand some E5 theory!
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