C5 chord (C power chord) on bass
C5 (C power chord) has two notes: C and G. Its formula is 1, 5.
How to play C5 on bass
Low notes close together sound muddy, so bass players spread a chord out and leave notes out. Forms with a 3rd or 7th sound clear from about the E string's 8th fret up, so they start there; root and 5th stays low. These forms put the root on the E string; the same shapes work from the A string.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 3 on D.
Hear it and see every shape in ScaleSpace →
| Symbol | C5 |
|---|---|
| Also written | C(no3) |
| Notes | C G |
| Formula | 1 5 |
| Intervals | root, perfect fifth |
| Type | Power chord chord |
C5 across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 3 G (5), fret 8 C (1), fret 15 G (5), fret 20 C (1).
- A string: fret 3 C (1), fret 10 G (5), fret 15 C (1), fret 22 G (5).
- D string: fret 5 G (5), fret 10 C (1), fret 17 G (5), fret 22 C (1).
- G string: fret 0 G (5), fret 5 C (1), fret 12 G (5), fret 17 C (1), fret 24 G (5).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Questions
What notes are in the C5 chord?
C5 (C power chord) has two notes: C and G. Its formula is 1, 5. C is the root and G is the perfect fifth.
How do you play C5 on bass?
Bass players spread it out rather than strum it. The simplest form is the root and 5th: 1 5, root on the E string, fret 8. Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Is C5 major or minor?
Neither. C5 is only the root and the 5th, C and G, with no 3rd, so it fits under both C and Cm. That is why it sounds clean with distortion.