D5 Guitar Chord
A powerful power chord. D5 is the bedrock of heavy rock and metal music.
Also known as
- D 5
- D fifth
- D power chord
How to Play This Chord
Position your fingers on the fretboard as shown in the diagram. The vertical lines represent the strings, from low E (left) to high E (right), and the horizontal lines are the frets. Numbers inside the dots indicate which finger to use: 1 (index), 2 (middle), 3 (ring), 4 (pinky). An X means don't play that string; an O means play it open. A bar spanning multiple strings means one finger presses across all of them at once — this is known as a barre chord.
Tips & Tricks
The open D5 power chord uses just the open D and A at the 2nd fret, making it one of the simplest power chords to play. For a heavier sound, add the octave D on the G string (2nd fret, 3rd string). Muting the lower strings is essential to keep it tight.