Piano Owl
chord

G♭ Fifth

The G♭ power chord (G♭5) is a widely-used power chord in rock and metal music, consisting solely of the root (G♭) and perfect fifth interval with no third to define major or minor quality. This deliberate omission creates the neutral, ambiguous character that makes power chords like the G♭5 work equally well in both major and minor contexts, providing maximum flexibility in heavy music applications. The G♭ power chord's simple two-note structure thrives under distortion, delivering the thick, aggressive tone that has become synonymous with guitar-driven rock, metal, and punk since the 1960s. Often found in drop-tuned and alternate tuning arrangements, the G♭5 offers the raw sonic power that has made power chords an essential technique for any guitarist exploring heavier musical territories. The G♭5 power chord appears frequently in drop F# tuning, used by extreme metal bands like Meshuggah, Periphery, and TesseracT, where the open dropped string produces this fundamental pitch at approximately 185 Hz. While often notated as F♯5 in guitar-centric contexts, the G♭5 spelling is preferred in keys with multiple flats (like C♭ major or D♭ major) to maintain notational consistency. This chord's low frequency range makes it particularly effective for creating the sub-bass impact characteristic of djent and progressive metal genres alongside A♭5 and B♭5, where extended-range guitars and 7-string instruments are standard.

Symbol
Gb5
Key
g flat
Quality
fifth
Number of Notes
2
Notes
F♯, C♯

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