E5 Chord on Guitar
E5 = E – B (Root, Perfect 5th)
E5 is the power chord every guitarist meets first, because its root falls on the guitar's open low E string: 0-2-2 across the low E, A and D strings, with the low E left completely open, the A string fretted at the second fret with one finger, and the D string fretted at the second fret with another (often the ring finger, freeing the middle finger, or vice versa depending on the player). No barre, no stretch, and one string rings open — it's arguably an easier three-note shape than almost any other chord on the instrument.
Because it needs no barre and uses the guitar's lowest, most resonant open string as its root, E5 has become the default power chord of rock, punk and metal guitar — it's the shape most riffs are built from before being transposed or moved to other roots, and its combination of raw low end and total harmonic neutrality (no third means no major or minor commitment) makes it endlessly versatile under distortion. E major's key context and E minor's key context both use it interchangeably as their tonic power chord, since E5 works under either without contradiction. Because the shape is entirely movable except for the one open string, once a guitarist has E5 solid, learning the equivalent fretted-only shapes for every other root becomes mostly a matter of sliding the same two fretted fingers up the neck and adding a barre or extra finger for the root. It's also the natural training ground for palm muting, a technique nearly synonymous with rock rhythm guitar, since resting the picking-hand's palm lightly across all three strings while still letting them ring produces the tight, percussive 'chug' heard throughout rock and metal rhythm parts.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Since the low E rings open, the entire technical job is keeping the two fretted notes even — press just hard enough that the A and D strings both come through cleanly without buzzing, and deaden the G, B and high e strings with whichever combination of picking-hand palm or fretting-finger curl feels natural. This is genuinely the best chord in the whole power-chord family for building palm-muting technique specifically: rest the edge of your picking hand against the strings near the bridge and experiment with exactly how much pressure produces a tight chug versus a fully dead thud, since dialing in that middle ground is a core rock rhythm-guitar skill worth dedicated practice time. Once it's comfortable, slide the whole shape up to F5 and back, releasing the open low string temporarily — a useful direct comparison for hearing exactly what a power chord loses once it can no longer lean on an open string. Because every other power chord in this survey uses the identical finger relationship just moved to a different fret, treat this one as the reference shape the rest of the family gets measured against.
Common Progressions
- E5 – A5 – B5 (I – IV – V power-chord progression)
- E5 – D5 – A5 (a classic descending rock riff)
- E5 – G5 – A5 (a minor-key-flavored power chord vamp)
FAQ
- Why is E5 the most common power chord in rock music?
- Its root sits on the guitar's open low E string, needing no barre or stretch, and its raw, low-end-heavy sound survives heavy distortion cleanly since it has no third to turn muddy — that combination of ease and tonal reliability under gain has made it the default building block of rock, punk and metal riffing.
- Do I need to fret the low E string for E5?
- No — the low E string is the chord's root and rings open, so only the A and D strings need fretting, both at the second fret, which is exactly what makes E5 one of the easiest three-note shapes on the whole instrument.
- What is palm muting and why is E5 good for practicing it?
- Palm muting means resting the edge of the picking hand's palm lightly against the strings near the bridge while still striking them, producing a tight, percussive sound instead of a fully ringing chord — E5's open low string and simple two-finger fretted shape make it the standard chord for first learning the technique.
- Is E5 used in both major and minor key songs?
- Yes — because it has no third, E5 carries no inherent major or minor quality, so it works equally well as the tonic power chord in songs centered on either E major or E minor, which is a big part of why power chords dominate genres that blur that harmonic distinction.
- Why do so many guitar method books teach E5 before any other power chord?
- Its open low string removes one entire finger's worth of work compared to every other power chord in this family, giving new players a genuinely usable rock rhythm-guitar sound within their first few practice sessions, well before their hands are ready for barred or fully fretted shapes.
Related: how chords are built, chord finder.