Mastering the C#5 Guitar Chord: Theory and Practice

C#5 is the C# power chord: two notes, C# and G#, a root and a perfect fifth. Because the third is left out, the chord is neither major nor minor, so it fits under either harmony.

Five shapes are listed on this page, from fret 4 up to fret 14. Press play on the chord player at the top to hear the chord strummed, then as an arpeggio, one note after the other. For the habits that make these two-note chords sound tight, read about electric guitar power chords. Soloists can reach for the C# minor pentatonic scale, which contains both notes.

The C# power chord is also written as C#5, C#(no 3rd) or C#(omit 3).

Notes of the C# 5 chord:

C# G#

Tones of the Powerchord chord:

Formula: 1 5

C# 5 Chord Interactive Fretboard

Want a structured chord roadmap instead of jumping between pages?
Go to the full guitar chords tutorial.

C# 5 Guitar Chord Diagrams

Position 1 Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 4 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 6 of the D string

Position 2 Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 4 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 6 of the D string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 6 of the G string

Position 3 Barre Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 4 of the low E and A strings at the same time
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 6 of the D string

Position 4 Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the G string
Mute the B string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 9 of the low E string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 11 of the A string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 11 of the D string

Position 5 Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Mute the A string
Mute the high E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 11 of the D string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 13 of the G string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 14 of the B string

Find more shapes in our all guitar chords online library. If you prefer a printable pdf, download the Free Guitar Chords Chart Pdf

Play This Chord With Other Roots

C 5 | D 5 | E 5 | F 5 | G 5 | A 5 | B 5 | C#5 | D#5 | F#5 | G#5 | A#5 | Ab5 | Bb5 | Db5 | Eb5 | Gb5

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Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher

FAQ

What are the notes of C#5?

C#5 is made of two notes, C# and G#. The G# is the perfect fifth of C#. No third is included.

Is C#5 the same chord as Db5?

They contain the same two pitches, so they sound identical. Db5 is spelled Db and Ab. Which name you see depends on the key of the piece.

How many voicings does C#5 have?

C#5 has 5 voicings, from fret 4 up to fret 14. One is a barre voicing, and none uses open strings.

Why is C# power chord neither major nor minor?

A chord is major or minor because of its third, and C#5 has none. It holds only C# and G#, the root and the perfect fifth, so it takes on the mood of what surrounds it.