The G fifth chord, commonly known as the G power chord (G5), is a fundamental building block in rock, metal, and punk music. Unlike full major or minor chords, the G power chord contains only the root note (G) and the perfect fifth interval, omitting the third entirely. This stripped-down structure creates a neutral, aggressive sound that works equally well over major or minor progressions, making it incredibly versatile for guitar-driven music. Power chords like G5 are especially prevalent in heavy music styles where distortion amplifies their raw, powerful character. The G5 power chord anchors Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," where Jimmy Page combined it with a '59 Les Paul through a Supro amplifier to achieve the song's iconic overdriven tone, later sampled by countless producers. Physically, G5 at the 3rd fret (most common position) sits at a sweet spot on the guitar neck where string tension and fretboard resonance combine for optimal sustain—a quality Pete Townshend exploited in The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" windmill power chord sections. Technical analysis reveals that when palm-muted, G5 frequencies centered around 196 Hz (G3) cut through dense mixes better than lower power chords, explaining its prevalence in thrash metal rhythm guitar parts from bands like Slayer and Megadeth, often paired with F5, D5, and C5 in classic rock progressions.
Scale degrees of each note in the G Fifth chord.
| Note | Number | Name |
|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Tonic |
| D | 5 | Dominant |
Intervals from the root note of the G Fifth chord.
| Notes | Semitones | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| G → G | 0 | Perfect Unison (P1) |
| G → D | 7 | Perfect 5th (P5) |
Explore chords that share the same key as the G Fifth chord.