The C♭ power chord (C♭5) is a fundamental building block in rock, metal, and punk music, consisting of just the root note (C♭) and its perfect fifth. Power chords omit the third, creating a neutral, ambiguous sound that works equally well over major or minor progressions, making them incredibly versatile in heavy, guitar-driven music. The C♭5 chord's stark, open voicing produces the thick, powerful tone that defines distorted guitar riffs, and its enharmonic equivalent (B5) is more commonly used in standard guitar tuning. Whether you're playing crushing metal riffs or driving punk progressions, the C♭ power chord delivers the raw energy that has defined electric guitar music for decades. While the C♭5 notation is theoretically valid, professional guitarists overwhelmingly use its enharmonic equivalent B5 in practice, as it appears in standard rock and metal charts. This spelling typically only appears in complex classical transcriptions or when maintaining enharmonic consistency in keys with multiple flats (like G♭ major or D♭ major). Understanding this enharmonic relationship is crucial for sight-reading and communicating with other musicians, particularly when transitioning between classical notation and contemporary chord charts.
Scale degrees of each note in the C♭ Fifth chord.
| Note | Number | Name |
|---|---|---|
| C♭ | 1 | Tonic |
| G♭ | 5 | Dominant |
Intervals from the root note of the C♭ Fifth chord.
| Notes | Semitones | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| C♭ → C♭ | 0 | Perfect Unison (P1) |
| C♭ → G♭ | 7 | Perfect 5th (P5) |
Explore chords that share the same key as the C♭ Fifth chord.