How to Play the D5 Chord on Guitar (Tips, Finger Positioning, Exercises)

[Acoustic Guitar Chords] > How to Play the D5 Chord on Guitar (Tips, Finger Positioning, Exercises)

The D5 chord, also known as the D power chord, is a simple chord with a BIG sound.

So big, in fact, that you’ll find it features in many of the greatest rock songs and guitar riffs of all time.

Why is it used so frequently? Because it’s one of the most versatile and easy-to-learn chords out there. 

The D5 chord is useful in many styles of guitar playing and genres – even outside of rock and roll!

Is your appetite whet yet? If so, let’s dive in and see what the D5 chord is all about.

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What Is the D5 Chord?

Before we go into more detail let’s talk about power chords. 

A power chord is a more straightforward version of a regular chord. 

Now I know this screams out to beginner guitar players, but let me assure you that power chords do not fully replace regular chords. 

Let’s take a look at the D5 chord as an example. It consists of notes A and D – that’s it!

It’s one of the three differentiators of a power chord as opposed to a regular chord. The others are:

1. A power chord has no major or minor tonality to it.
2. A power chord only requires the root and the 5th scale degree of a chord.

Now if you’ve dabbled in power chords at all, you’ll know that they’re famous for sounding really good and crunchy on a distorted guitar – that’s why they’re used so frequently in metal and rock music.

The D5 chord – a power chord – strikes a very different sound compared to say the D chord. Because the third is omitted in the D power chord, you can hear a perfect fifth. 

Have a look at the diagram below and see for yourself.

There are tons of popular songs that rely heavily on the D5 chord, such as The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama”. 

D5 Chord Guitar Finger Positioning

When it comes to finger positioning, power chords are pretty straightforward, mostly due to the fact that they usually only require two fingers.

Make sure to follow these rules to ensure crisp, clear notes:

1. Stay natural. One of the most important things to remember with positioning is that your hand should feel natural and not forced. Your hand shouldn’t be tense or rigid.
2. Maintain an arch in your fingers. If your fingers are pressed flat on the fretboard, they might touch the mute other strings or cause fret buzz.
3. Make sure to keep your thumb firm. Gently press it into the back of the guitar neck for added stability.

It’s worth noting that with correct finger positioning and practice, you’re probably going to start accruing some gnarly-looking calluses on the tips of your fingers. 

This is a good sign – it means you’re forming thicker skin on certain areas of your fingers and therefore you’ll feel less pain when pressing down on strings. 

Calluses are great as they’re proof that you’re putting in the work!

How to Play the D5 Chord on the Guitar

From here on out I’ll be using chord diagrams to demonstrate how to play the D5 chord on the guitar. If you need a little refresher on how those work, then check out this guide on chord diagrams.

How to place your fingers for the D5 chord:

1. Index finger on the 5th fret of the A string
2. Ring finger on the 7th fret of the D string
3. Pinky finger on the 7th fret of the G string
4. Mute all other strings and strum

That’s it, you’re ready to rock!

Now that you know how to play the D5 chord, let’s take a look at a few variations to spice things up:

Two-Fingered Variation

This is an even simpler version of the D5 chord, and requires (as the name suggests), just two fingers. It’s exactly the same as the D5 chord except that you’re not using your pinky finger.

It looks like this:

• Index finger on the 5th fret of the A string
• Ring finger on the 7th fret of the D string

Mute all other strings and strum.

The great thing about both variations of this chord is that you can move the same shapes all over the fretboard and discover new power chords. 

This is part of the real beauty of power chords – they unlock countless new combinations.

D5 Chord Exercises

Although this chord isn’t very tricky, I’ve still included a few exercises to keep you on top of your game:

Exercise 1

This exercise helps develop muscle memory and also an ear for what the D5 chord sounds like. Here’s how it goes:

• Using your fretting hand, form a D5 chord
• Strum down four times
• Release the chord
• Strum down four more times on the open the strings
• Rinse and repeat

Exercise 2

Practicing a new chord along with changes is important, especially when you start playing songs that require multiple transitions. You need to be able to jump quickly in and out of chords. This exercise helps you do exactly that. Here’s how:

• Choose a chord that you’re familiar with
• Play it for 5 seconds
• Switch to the D5 chord and play it for 5 seconds
• Switch back to the original chord
• Repeat

While some of these exercises might feel a bit basic, you’d be surprised how even the most simple chords can slip your mind when under pressure to play a full song!

What’s Next After the D Power Chord?

Now that you’ve nailed the D5 chord, what’s next? Try the A5 power chord, or the C5 chord.

It’s always a good idea to master a few other chords such as the E chord or the A chord.

If you’d like to really improve your skills, then check out my guitar workshop at Tony’s Acoustic Challenge. Watch this FREE guitar class where I show you the three secrets to faster guitar learning in just 10 minutes a day.