B 5th
B5
Notes
B · F#
Intervals
- RootB (1P)
- Perfect 5thF# (5P)
Fretboard
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About
The B5 power chord consists of root and fifth only (B–F♯), often with the root doubled an octave higher. By omitting the third entirely, it carries no major or minor identity — its tonality is implied by context and melody, not by the chord itself. This neutrality is an asset under heavy distortion, where thirds create harsh intermodulation artifacts. The fifth (F♯) is the only harmonic color present, so it must be played; doubling the root adds weight but no new harmonic information. On guitar, the shape is the same across all string pairs (except those involving the B string), making it easy to move. Compared to full triads like B or Bm, power chords sacrifice color for focus and aggression.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- B Blues (deg 1)
- B Harmonic Minor (I)
- B Major (I)
- B Major Pentatonic (deg 1)
- B Melodic Minor (I)
- B Minor Pentatonic (deg 1)
- B Natural Minor (I)
- A Diminished (deg 2)
- A Major (II)
- A Major Pentatonic (deg 2)
- A Melodic Minor (II)
- A♭ Blues (deg 2)
- A♭ Minor Pentatonic (deg 2)
- A♭ Natural Minor (III)
- C Diminished (deg 8)
- D Major (VI)
- D Major Pentatonic (deg 5)
- D♭ Blues (deg 6)
- D♭ Minor Pentatonic (deg 5)
- D♭ Natural Minor (VII)
- E Harmonic Minor (V)
- E Major (V)
- E Major Pentatonic (deg 4)
- E Melodic Minor (V)
- E Natural Minor (V)
- E♭ Diminished (deg 6)
- E♭ Harmonic Minor (VI)
- E♭ Natural Minor (VI)
- F♯ Blues (deg 3)
- F♯ Diminished (deg 4)
- F♯ Harmonic Minor (IV)
- F♯ Major (IV)
- F♯ Melodic Minor (IV)
- F♯ Minor Pentatonic (deg 3)
- F♯ Natural Minor (IV)
- G Major (III)
- B Dorian (I)
- B Lydian (I)
- B Mixolydian (I)
- B Phrygian (I)
- A Dorian (II)
- A Lydian (II)
- A Mixolydian (II)
- A♭ Dorian (III)
- A♭ Locrian (III)
- A♭ Phrygian (III)
- B♭ Locrian (II)
- B♭ Phrygian (II)
- C Lydian (VII)
- D Lydian (VI)
- D Mixolydian (VI)
- D♭ Dorian (VII)
- D♭ Locrian (VII)
- D♭ Mixolydian (VII)
- D♭ Phrygian (VII)
- E Dorian (V)
- E Lydian (V)
- E Mixolydian (V)
- E♭ Locrian (VI)
- E♭ Phrygian (VI)
- F Locrian (V)
- F♯ Dorian (IV)
- F♯ Locrian (IV)
- F♯ Mixolydian (IV)
- F♯ Phrygian (IV)
- G Lydian (III)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. Roman numeral marks the chord root’s position in the scale; dashed badges aren’t linked yet.