Which notes are in the A#5 chord?

A#5 contains the notes A# and F. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 5.

How many ways can you play A#5?

Minory lists 2 guitar fingerings for A#5. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.

Is the A#5 chord hard to play?

A#5 requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.

Are A#5 and Bb5 the same chord?

Yes. A#5 and Bb5 are enharmonically identical — the spelling differs but the frets and keys are the same. Which name is used depends on the key of the piece.

A# power chord · Guitar

A#5 Chord on Guitar

The A#5 chord (A# power chord) is built from the notes A# and F. 2 different guitar fingerings for it are shown below. The same chord is also written Bb5; both spellings sound identical.

Chord diagrams

Position 1starts at fret 1

Fingering

string 6 (E): muted
string 5 (A): fret 1 — index finger
string 4 (D): fret 3 — ring finger
string 3 (G): fret 3 — little finger
string 2 (B): muted
string 1 (E): muted

Position 2starts at fret 6

Fingering

string 6 (E): fret 6 — index finger
string 5 (A): fret 8 — ring finger
string 4 (D): fret 8 — little finger
string 3 (G): muted
string 2 (B): muted
string 1 (E): muted

Notes in this chord

A♯
F

Degrees: 1 – 5

Also written: Bb5

How to play

A#5 can be played with open strings on guitar, which makes it an accessible shape for beginners. Strings marked ○ ring open, while strings marked ✕ are muted.

Theory behind the chord

Power chords drop the third entirely, leaving only the root and the fifth. Because they are neither major nor minor, they stay clean under high gain and are the backbone of rock and metal riffs. On A#5 this structure sits on the root A#, so the degrees 1 – 5 map onto A# and F.

Frequently asked questions

Which notes are in the A#5 chord?: A#5 contains the notes A# and F. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 5.
How many ways can you play A#5?: Minory lists 2 guitar fingerings for A#5. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.
Is the A#5 chord hard to play?: A#5 requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.
Are A#5 and Bb5 the same chord?: Yes. A#5 and Bb5 are enharmonically identical — the spelling differs but the frets and keys are the same. Which name is used depends on the key of the piece.

Practise A#5 on your phone

Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.