E5 5-string bass chord

How to play E5 on 5-string bass

The most common way, the first shape above: your index finger on the A string at the 2nd fret and your middle finger on the D string at the 2nd fret. Let the E string ring open. Don’t play the B and G strings.

From the B string x 0 2 2 x (x: not played, 0: open)

What notes are in E5?

E5, E power chord, is E and B: the root (E) and the perfect fifth (B). Its formula is 1 5.

Is E5 major or minor?

Neither. E5 is E and B, with no third, which is why it works under major and minor songs alike and stays clear with distortion.

Can I play E5 instead of E or Em?

In rock, yes: power chords stand in for both.