D5 chord (D power chord) on bass
D5 (D power chord) has two notes: D and A. Its formula is 1, 5.
How to play D5 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 | D5 |
|---|---|
| Also written | D(no3) |
| Notes | D A |
| Formula | 1 5 |
| Intervals | root, perfect fifth |
| Type | Power chord chord |
D5 across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 5 A (5), fret 10 D (1), fret 17 A (5), fret 22 D (1).
- A string: fret 0 A (5), fret 5 D (1), fret 12 A (5), fret 17 D (1), fret 24 A (5).
- D string: fret 0 D (1), fret 7 A (5), fret 12 D (1), fret 19 A (5), fret 24 D (1).
- G string: fret 2 A (5), fret 7 D (1), fret 14 A (5), fret 19 D (1).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Questions
What notes are in the D5 chord?
D5 (D power chord) has two notes: D and A. Its formula is 1, 5. D is the root and A is the perfect fifth.
How do you play D5 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 10. Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Is D5 major or minor?
Neither. D5 is only the root and the 5th, D and A, with no 3rd, so it fits under both D and Dm. That is why it sounds clean with distortion.