How to play a power chord
- Put your index finger (1) on the root: on the low E string for the first chart below, on the A string for the second.
- Put your ring finger (3) two frets higher on the next string (the 5th).
- For the three-note version, add your little finger (4) on the same fret as your ring finger, one string higher (the root an octave up). With the root on the D string, that note is one fret further up, because the B string is tuned differently.
- Play only those strings; keep the others quiet with your other fingers.
The shape stays the same on every fret: one fret higher plays the power chord one semitone higher.
Power chords with the root on the low E string
Power chords with the root on the A string
Where to play each power chord
Fret numbers for the root. Play the 5th two frets higher on the next string (and the octave on the same fret as the 5th, one string higher). Fret 0 means the open string.
| Power chord | Root on the low E string | Root on the A string |
|---|---|---|
| C5 | fret 8 | fret 3 or 15 |
| C♯5 (D♭5) | fret 9 | fret 4 |
| D5 | fret 10 | fret 5 |
| E♭5 | fret 11 | fret 6 |
| E5 | fret 0 or 12 | fret 7 |
| F5 | fret 1 or 13 | fret 8 |
| F♯5 (G♭5) | fret 2 or 14 | fret 9 |
| G5 | fret 3 or 15 | fret 10 |
| A♭5 | fret 4 | fret 11 |
| A5 | fret 5 | fret 0 or 12 |
| B♭5 | fret 6 | fret 1 or 13 |
| B5 | fret 7 | fret 2 or 14 |
Power chords to full chords
To turn a power chord into a full chord, add the 3rd: 4 semitones above the root for major, 3 for minor.
| Power chord | Add the major 3rd | Add the minor 3rd |
|---|---|---|
| C5 C – G | C C – E – G | Cm C – E♭ – G |
| C♯5 C♯ – G♯ | C♯ C♯ – E♯ – G♯ | C♯m C♯ – E – G♯ |
| D5 D – A | D D – F♯ – A | Dm D – F – A |
| E♭5 E♭ – B♭ | E♭ E♭ – G – B♭ | E♭m E♭ – G♭ – B♭ |
| E5 E – B | E E – G♯ – B | Em E – G – B |
| F5 F – C | F F – A – C | Fm F – A♭ – C |
| F♯5 F♯ – C♯ | F♯ F♯ – A♯ – C♯ | F♯m F♯ – A – C♯ |
| G5 G – D | G G – B – D | Gm G – B♭ – D |
| A♭5 A♭ – E♭ | A♭ A♭ – C – E♭ | A♭m A♭ – C♭ – E♭ |
| A5 A – E | A A – C♯ – E | Am A – C – E |
| B♭5 B♭ – F | B♭ B♭ – D – F | B♭m B♭ – D♭ – F |
| B5 B – F♯ | B B – D♯ – F♯ | Bm B – D – F♯ |
See every full chord with diagrams in the guitar chord chart.