Eb5 Guitar Chord
Eb5 is the E flat power chord. It has two notes: E flat and B flat. There is no third, so the chord is neither major nor minor. The lowest shape on this page sits on the D string at the 1st fret.
Root on the D string at the 1st fret, the fifth on the G above it and the root again on the B. Movable: slide this grip anywhere and it is still a power chord.
How to play Eb5, step by step
- Index finger: 1st fret, D string
- Ring finger: 3rd fret, G string
- Pinky finger: 4th fret, B string
- Strum only the D and G and B strings, and stop the downstroke at the B.
E flat has no open string root, so every shape here is fretted. That makes muting simpler: the fretting hand is already touching the strings that need to stay quiet.
More ways to play Eb5
There are 3 common Eb5 shapes in total: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these, easiest first. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.
Thick and solid, with the doubled root filling it out. This is the sound of a rock rhythm part.
Leaner than the three string version and quicker to move. Under distortion the missing octave is barely noticeable.
If it sounds unclear
- Buzzing at the 1st fret
- The 1st fret needs more pressure than the rest of the neck. Keep the finger just behind the fret wire and press with the tip.
- The bass strings ring
- In the D string shape the low E and A are not part of the chord. Rest the strumming palm across them.
- The chord sounds thin
- Power chords on the middle strings are lighter by nature. The shape with the root on the A string at the 6th fret gives the same chord with much more weight.
What makes it an Eb5
E♭ · B♭ 1 5
Eb5 is E flat with its perfect fifth, B flat. The G of E flat major and the G flat of E flat minor are both absent.
The chord is written with a 5 to say exactly that: root and fifth only. Nothing in it decides major or minor, and nothing in it clashes under distortion.
Eb5 vs Eb
Full E flat is a barre chord in an awkward key for guitar. Eb5 needs two fingers and no barre, and it does the same job in any rock or blues arrangement.
What you lose is the third, which is what makes E flat sound like a major chord. In a horn key like this one that colour matters more than usual, so the full chord still has its place.
Eb5 chord questions
Is Eb5 the same as D#5?
Yes, one chord with two spellings. E flat is the usual name, so it is the one used here.
Is Eb5 major or minor?
Neither. Only the root and the fifth are in the chord.
Where is Eb5 on the neck?
The 6th fret of the A string is the usual place, and the same chord sits at the 11th fret of the low E string. The smallest version is on the D string at the 1st fret.
Is there an open Eb5?
No. E flat is not the pitch of any open string, so every shape needs a fretted root. That is true of all the flat and sharp power chords.
What chords go with Eb5?
Ab5 and Bb5 complete the key of E flat. In the key of B flat, Eb5 is the IV chord.
Chords to learn next
Other Eb chords
Eb5 guitar chord chart (xx134x) from melodician.com