E5 chord (E power chord) on bass
E5 (E power chord) has two notes: E and B. Its formula is 1, 5.
How to play E5 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 A.
Fingers: 1 on A, 1 on D.
Hear it and see every shape in ScaleSpace →
| Symbol | E5 |
|---|---|
| Also written | E(no3) |
| Notes | E B |
| Formula | 1 5 |
| Intervals | root, perfect fifth |
| Type | Power chord chord |
E5 across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 0 E (1), fret 7 B (5), fret 12 E (1), fret 19 B (5), fret 24 E (1).
- A string: fret 2 B (5), fret 7 E (1), fret 14 B (5), fret 19 E (1).
- D string: fret 2 E (1), fret 9 B (5), fret 14 E (1), fret 21 B (5).
- G string: fret 4 B (5), fret 9 E (1), fret 16 B (5), fret 21 E (1).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Questions
What notes are in the E5 chord?
E5 (E power chord) has two notes: E and B. Its formula is 1, 5. E is the root and B is the perfect fifth.
How do you play E5 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 0. Fingers: 1 on A.
Is E5 major or minor?
Neither. E5 is only the root and the 5th, E and B, with no 3rd, so it fits under both E and Em. That is why it sounds clean with distortion.