Article
How to Read Guitar Chord Diagrams
Learn how to read guitar chord diagrams quickly. Understand dots, numbers, Xs, Os, and finger positions so you can play any chord chart at sight.
A5/E guitar shapes
Popular fretboard positions with fingering suggestions
Showing 8 of 221 playable shapes
About the chord
A5 / E (1st inversion)
The A5 power chord (5th), consisting of the root (A5) and perfect fifth E, provides a bold, open sound without major or minor coloration. Its simplicity and neutrality make it a staple in rock, punk, and metal for driving rhythms and raw power. With E in the bass, this voicing functions as the 1st inversion of A5.
Root note: A
Bass note: E
Chord tones: 2
Playable shapes: 221
Chord tones
AE
Notes & Intervals
Each note below shows how the chord is built from its root. This is the theory layer underneath the fretboard shapes.
A Unison (Root) 1
The root anchors the chord and defines its tonal center.
E Perfect Fifth 5
The fifth reinforces stability and gives the chord its strong harmonic frame.
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