Guitar chords · Power chord
A5 chord on guitar
A5 (A Just the root and the 5th, often with the root doubled: C5 is C and G. With no 3rd it is neither major nor minor, which keeps it clear under distortion.) has two notes: A and E, the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7. and 5.
Shapes
How to play A5
Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7.; the other numbers are the chord tones.
A5 has an A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em., and one A chord or scale fingering with no open strings. Slide it up or down the neck and it changes its root but not its type: a major shape stays major.: the E shape at The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step. 5. A movable shape keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., on the lowest played string, names the chord.
Open (A shape)
E shape · fret 5
Notes and formula
What makes A5 power chord
A Just the root and the 5th, often with the root doubled: C5 is C and G. With no 3rd it is neither major nor minor, which keeps it clear under distortion. is just the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7. and the 5th, often with the root doubled an The distance of twelve half steps, where a note comes round to the same name. Twelve frets up a string is an octave. up. With no 3rd it is neither major nor minor, so it stays clear under heavy distortion: the backbone of rock and punk.
- 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
- 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
- 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.
The 5th makes A5 a Just the root and the 5th, often with the root doubled: C5 is C and G. With no 3rd it is neither major nor minor, which keeps it clear under distortion..
- ARroot
- E5essential
- A, the root
- Other chord tones
Keys
Keys with A5
A5 belongs to twelve keys: C major (vi5), G major (ii5), D major (V5), A major (I5), E major (IV5), F major (iii5), A minor (i5), E minor (iv5), B minor (VII5), F♯ minor (III5), C♯ minor (VI5) and D minor (v5).
- vi5C major
- ii5G major
- V5D major
- I5A major
- IV5E major
- iii5F major
- i5A minor
- iv5E minor
- VII5B minor
- III5F♯ minor
- VI5C♯ minor
- v5D minor
Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work
Slash chords
A5 over another bass note
A A chord with a different note in the bass, written after a slash: C/E is a C chord with E as its lowest note. The letter after the slash is the bass. keeps A5 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.
- A5/E
A5 with its 5th, E, in the bass.
Same root
Other chords on A
Change one or two notes and the same The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7. gives a different colour. Compare them by ear.
- A major
- Am minor
- A7 dominant 7th
- Amaj7 major 7th
- Am7 minor 7th
- Asus2 suspended 2nd
- Asus4 suspended 4th
- A6 major 6th
- Am6 minor 6th
- Aadd9 add 9
- A9 dominant 9th
- Amaj9 major 9th
- Am9 minor 9th
- A13 dominant 13th
- Amaj13 major 13th
- Am11 minor 11th
- A° diminished
- Am7♭5 half-diminished 7th
- A°7 diminished 7th
- A+ augmented
- A7sus4 dominant 7th suspended 4th
- Am(maj7) minor major 7th
- A6/9 six-nine
- Am(add9) minor add 9
- A7♯9 dominant 7th sharp 9th
Questions
A5, in short
- What notes are in the A5 chord?
- A5 (A Just the root and the 5th, often with the root doubled: C5 is C and G. With no 3rd it is neither major nor minor, which keeps it clear under distortion.) has two notes: A and E, the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7. and 5.
- How do you play A5 on guitar?
- A5 has an A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em., and one A chord or scale fingering with no open strings. Slide it up or down the neck and it changes its root but not its type: a major shape stays major.: the E shape at The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step. 5.
- What key is A5 in?
- A5 belongs to twelve keys: C major (vi5), G major (ii5), D major (V5), A major (I5), E major (IV5), F major (iii5), A minor (i5), E minor (iv5), B minor (VII5), F♯ minor (III5), C♯ minor (VI5) and D minor (v5).