power chord generator
Build and Listen to Power Chords
A power chord is the root and perfect fifth. C5 contains C and G; it has no E or E-flat, so these two tones alone do not establish major or minor quality. The 5 is a chord symbol, not a request for five notes.
Play C5, then compare C major. Hear how adding E gives the sound a major quality. Next select A5 and compare A major. Use the individual note buttons to check that the power chord still contains only root and fifth.
Play the instrument ↑- Chord formula
- 1 · 5
- Semitone offsets
- 0 · 7
- C reference
- C · G
- Sound
- Sine reference · A4 = 440 Hz
A fifth without a major or minor third
A power chord is the root and perfect fifth. C5 contains C and G; it has no E or E-flat, so these two tones alone do not establish major or minor quality. The 5 is a chord symbol, not a request for five notes.
A fifth above the root and a fourth above the bass can contain the same two pitch classes. Inverting C5 puts G below C; the root is still C because the selected formula is C5. The optional doubled root used in guitar power-chord shapes is not included here.
- Degree 1 is 0 semitones above the root in this reference.
- Degree 5 is 7 semitones above the root in this reference.
A listening test for 5
Play C5, then compare C major. Hear how adding E gives the sound a major quality. Next select A5 and compare A major. Use the individual note buttons to check that the power chord still contains only root and fifth.
The Compare major button retains your chosen root and octave and plays the comparison in root position. Set the current chord to root position for a direct comparison. The note buttons let you isolate the chord member that makes this quality different.
Follow the selected bass through each voicing
This 2-tone reference offers 2 positions. Root position starts with degree 1; First inversion starts with degree 5. The bass suffix beneath the chord symbol identifies the actual lowest tone.
Changing voicing raises the notes before the selected bass by an octave. The pitch classes and chord quality remain the same; only the register and bass change.
Use a root-and-fifth reference to check a riff or accompaniment before choosing a third. This clean sine-wave sound demonstrates pitch relationships; it does not imitate an overdriven guitar.
Check C, F and A before transposing further
Begin with C and confirm C · G. Use the F and A example buttons to transpose the same interval collection. Follow the MIDI values if an enharmonic spelling looks unfamiliar: changing the root shifts every sounding note by the same interval.
Use Root octave 2 for a lower reference or octave 5 for a higher one. A root change keeps your selected voicing; the example buttons return to root position. Reset restores C, octave 3 and root position. Stop sound ends the currently active chord or arpeggio.
What playback and the WAV file contain
The displayed notes are synthesized locally using sine waves after your click. The tool does not create a progression, transcribe a song, provide guitar fingering or simulate an acoustic instrument. No camera, microphone, registration or file upload is needed.
Download WAV saves the currently displayed voicing as a 2.4-second mono PCM file at 44.1 kHz with a short fade. It does not export the comparison chord or an arpeggiated performance. If Web Audio is unavailable, the note display and WAV download remain usable.
Theoretical note names preserve each degree and may use double accidentals. Equal-tempered playback gives enharmonic notes the same frequency. This browser tool does not add new extended-chord gestures to the webcam instrument; that instrument has its own triad, inversion and seventh controls.
Play the separate gesture instrument → · Local processing and privacy →
Answers before you play
Power Chord Questions
What are the notes in C power?
C · G. The formula is 1 · 5, with semitone offsets 0, 7. These are the complete notes sounded by this generator in root position.
How does this differ from major?
Play C5, then compare C major. Hear how adding E gives the sound a major quality. Next select A5 and compare A major. Use the individual note buttons to check that the power chord still contains only root and fifth.
Are these standard performance voicings?
Use a root-and-fifth reference to check a riff or accompaniment before choosing a third. This clean sine-wave sound demonstrates pitch relationships; it does not imitate an overdriven guitar. The tool states its complete formula and uses close pitch-class rotations for inversion study. Performance omissions and spacing depend on the instrument and musical context.
Can I play and export without a camera?
Yes. Click Play chord or Play arpeggio for local audio. Download WAV saves the displayed chord even if live audio is unavailable. Camera and microphone permission are never requested.
Why does the displayed accidental look unusual?
A fifth above the root and a fourth above the bass can contain the same two pitch classes. Inverting C5 puts G below C; the root is still C because the selected formula is C5. The optional doubled root used in guitar power-chord shapes is not included here. Note letters follow chord degrees; MIDI numbers show the actual pitches at A4 = 440 Hz.