Chord
C♯ Power Chord Chord
Interactive keyboard
Highlighted notes form this chord.
Notes
C♯ · G♯
Root: C♯
Intervals
1 · 5
How it is built
This chord starts on C♯ and applies the intervals 1, 5. The result contains 2 distinct pitch classes per octave.
Explore related combinations
Guide and musical context
About C♯ Power Chord Chord
C♯ Power Chord Chord contains C♯, G♯. Its sound is open, direct and ambiguous between major and minor.
Character and sound
Open, direct and ambiguous between major and minor.
Musical context and history
Power chords omit the third and keep root and fifth. Fifth-based sonorities are old, but the modern power-chord identity is especially linked to amplified guitar, rock and metal.
How and where it is used
The missing third lets it work over major or minor contexts and makes it effective with distortion, riffs and parallel motion.
In Theory view you can hear the pitch collection without depending on a specific fingering. Then switch to Piano, Guitar, Ukulele or Mandolin to see how the same notes are physically distributed on each instrument.
Harmonic and musical relationships
Compare this chord with other variants sharing the root C♯. Changing a single third, fifth, seventh or extension makes it easy to hear which interval defines the chord’s character.
The formula on this page is 1 · 5 and, from C♯, produces the notes C♯ · G♯.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the C♯ Power Chord Chord?
The notes are C♯, G♯.
What is its interval formula?
The formula is 1 · 5.
How does it sound and what is it used for?
Open, direct and ambiguous between major and minor. The missing third lets it work over major or minor contexts and makes it effective with distortion, riffs and parallel motion.
Can I view it on a specific instrument?
Yes. Use the selector near the top to switch between Piano, Guitar, Ukulele and Mandolin without changing the musical combination you are studying.