Chord · C Power Chord
C5 Chord
C5 is C and G — two-note dyad; rock and metal staple.
C5 on every instrument
The same 2 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What C5 is made of
C5 (C power) is built from the notes C, G, with the interval pattern 1, 5.
Stack 1 and 5 on a root of C and you get C and G. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a power chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why D5 sounds like a transposed C5.
Power Chord: Two-note dyad; rock and metal staple.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. Every tone here lands on its own letter — no accidentals needed.
Keys that contain C5
All 2 notes sit inside the scale of 12 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on C
Same root, different colour.
The same power shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about C5
- What notes are in the C5 chord?
- C5 is made of C and G — the 1 and 5 degrees of a power chord built on C.
- What keys use the C5 chord?
- Every note of C5 belongs to 12 keys: C Major (I), F Major (V), G Major (IV), Bb Major (ii), Eb Major (vi), Ab Major (iii), A Minor (III), D Minor (VII), E Minor (VI), G Minor (iv), C Minor (i), F Minor (v). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play C5 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows C5 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 12 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why C5 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.