Explore chords · Guitar
E♭ 5th chord on guitar (E♭5)
Also called or written E♭5, E♭ or E♭ power chord
E♭ 5th contains the notes E♭ and B♭. This intermediate power chord at the sixth fret requires a two-fret stretch between the index and ring fingers.
How it is built
Formula 1, 5
- Root positionE♭–B♭E♭5×-6-8-8-×-×
- First inversionB♭–E♭E♭5/B♭6-6-8-8-×-×
How do you play an E♭ 5th chord on guitar?
E♭ 5th is played at the 6th fret as × 6 8 8 × ×: index finger on the A string at fret 6, middle finger on the D string at fret 8 and ring finger on the G string at fret 8. The low E, B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 | E♭ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 2 | B♭ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
IntermediateThe hardest part is the two-fret stretch between the index finger and the middle and ring fingers at the sixth fret.
11th fret
E♭ 5th is played at the 11th fret as 11 13 13 × × ×: index finger on the low E string at fret 11, middle finger on the A string at fret 13 and ring finger on the D string at fret 13. The G, B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 1 | E♭ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 13 | 2 | B♭ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 3 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
E♭5/B♭ inversion
E♭ 5th is played at the 6th fret as 6 6 8 8 × ×: index finger on the low E string at fret 6, middle finger on the A string at fret 6, ring finger on the D string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 8. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 3 | B♭ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 4 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ 5th is built from the 1st and 5th degrees of the E♭ major scale, giving the formula 1–5. The perfect fifth interval produces the hollow, neutral sound of a power chord. Compare it with E♭ major, which adds the major third G for a complete major triad.
What goes wrong with E♭ 5th?
- The 6th string sounds because the thumb does not mute it.
- The 2nd string rings open when the fretting hand fails to mute it.
- The 4th string buzzes because the middle finger is too far from the fret.
When to use it
E♭ 5th functions as the tonic in E♭ major progressions like E♭–A♭–B♭ (I–IV–V) or E♭–B♭–Cm–A♭ (I–V–vi–IV). Its neutral fifth suits rock, punk, and metal rhythm parts. Use it with E♭ major and B♭ major for a full major sound.
Changing to and from E♭ 5th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 5th fret gives D 5th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 7th fret gives E 5th.
Which voicing to use
The 6th fret position is the default and works well for barre chord progressions. The 11th fret position moves the shape up the neck for a higher voicing. The E♭5/A♯ inversion puts the fifth in the bass, giving a less rooted, more open sound.
Other E♭ chords
Common questions
How is E♭ 5th written?
E♭ 5th is written as E♭5, Eb5, or E♭ power chord. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between E♭ 5th and E♭ major?
E♭ 5th contains only E♭ and B♭, while E♭ major adds G. The missing third makes the power chord neutral and suitable for both major and minor contexts.
Can E♭ 5th be played on the 6th string?
Yes, the 11th fret position uses the 6th string at fret 11 for the root E♭. The default position mutes the 6th string to keep the bass note on the 5th string.