C5 (C5)

A power chord: just the root and the fifth, no third. Neither major nor minor, it sounds huge with distortion and slides around the neck as one block.

It’s played as a movable shape, starting at the 3rd fret. With no third, C5 can stand in for C major or C minor, especially in rock.

Notes:: C, G.
Formula:: 1, 5.
Difficulty:: Intermediate.
Strings played:: 3 (A, D, G).

Chord diagram

e|--x--|
B|--x--|
G|--5--|
D|--5--|
A|--3--|
E|--x--|

Other positions

e|--x---|
B|--x---|
G|--x---|
D|--10--|
A|--10--|
E|--8---|

Capo tip: put the capo at the 3rd fret and play the A5 shape: you hear C5, with no barre.The capo

Often played with

The chords in its key, the ones you hear most often around C5.

e|--x--|
B|--x--|
G|--x--|
D|--3--|
A|--3--|
E|--1--|

F5IV

e|--x--|
B|--x--|
G|--x--|
D|--5--|
A|--5--|
E|--3--|

G5V

e|--x--|
B|--x--|
G|--3--|
D|--3--|
A|--1--|
E|--x--|

B♭5♭VII