Prog metal chords

C · G

Every metalcore riff starts here. Two strings, no third — the interval that stays huge through distortion.

Mute the top four strings with the underside of the index finger. This is home.

C · G

Breakdowns and open-note chugs. The doubled root is what makes Drop tunings feel bigger than standard.

Let the fourth string ring. Same chord, twice the width.

C · G

The 'chorus five' — a power chord stacked through three octaves. Sings under a vocal.

Index on the third string, middle on the second. Keep the high string dead.

C# · Ab

The metalcore half-step. Open to fret 1 is the Phrygian growl used in a thousand breakdowns.

Barre the lowest two strings at fret 1. Slide it from the open 5.

D · A

The other neighbor. Open–2–0 is the classic two-step metalcore move.

Whole-step neighbor. Alternate with the open 5 for a sus2 riff.

Eb · Bb

i–III motion without leaving the lowest two strings. Dark, immediate.

Minor-third power chord. Keep the barre vertical — don't choke the fifth string.

F · C

The IV chord. Verse riffs love 0–5–0, or 0–5–7 for a full cadence.

Same shape as the open 5, fifth fret. Root movement of a fourth.

G · D

Lift into a chorus, or pedal the open root under this for a huge V/i.

Seventh-fret five. The V of the dropped root.

Bb · F

bVII. The rock cadence. Metalcore choruses live on i–bVII–bVI.

Tenth fret. Don't squeeze — heavy strings need less pressure than you think.

Ab · Eb

bVI. The emotional one. Hold it under a clean vocal, then smash the open 5.

Eighth fret. Pair with the tenth-fret b7 and the open root.

C · G · Eb

When a power chord is too blank. Adds the third without leaving the drop shape.

Fourth string, fret 3 is the minor third. Mute the top three.

C · G · E

Bright, almost triumphant. A single major third in a sea of fives is a chorus trick.

Fret 4 on the fourth string is the major third. Use it sparingly through gain.

C · G · D

The 'hopeful' metalcore chord. Verses and post-chorus lifts.

Fret 2 = the 9th. Keep it light; it beats against the root in a useful way.

C · G · F

Unresolved. Walk it to the minor or major third (fret 3 or 4 on the fourth string).

Let the third string ring open — that's the 11th / 4th.

C · G · D

Prog metal's favorite open shape. Big, ringing, still heavy. Works dirty or clean.

Let the high string ring. The 9th on top is the whole point.

C · G · E

Lush chorus color. Sounds like a 90s alt-metal lift with modern gain.

High string to fret 2 adds the 6th. Fingers 1-3-2 stacked.

C · G · F

Djent and thall home voicing. Root, fifth, octave, 11th — quartal and brutal.

Four open low strings. Mute the top two with the picking-hand palm.

C · G · F · A · D

Ambient intro, post-chorus wash, or a held hit before a breakdown. Let it bloom.

Every string open. In drop tuning this is a stacked 11 chord, not a mess.

C · G · F · Bb · D

Dominant without the third. Prog choruses and 'question mark' riffs.

Index on the second string, fret 1 — that's the b7.

C · G · E · A · D

The pretty one. Clean tone, delay, and a little compression. Periphery / Tesseract territory.

Middle and ring stacked on fret 4, index on fret 3 of the second string.

C · F · Bb

Modern prog pad. Move the barre, keep the sixth string open as a pedal.

Barre strings 5–3 at the fifth fret. Root rings under stacked fourths.

C · D · B · A

Signature prog metal grip. Wide, dissonant-sweet, and it moves as a shape.

Skip strings. Middle on 5th/7, index on 3rd/6. Let the opens drone.

C · G · Eb · Bb

Minor-seventh color for clean verses. Distorts into a thick i7 if you lean in.

Index barre across 4th and 2nd at fret 3, pinky on fret 5 of the third string.

C · G · F#

The devil in drop. Slide 5–6–5 under a chug for a harmonic-minor sting.

Fret 6 on the fourth string is the tritone. One finger, maximum unease.

C · D

Tapping and lead beds. A huge empty frame to put melody on.

Mute 5, 3, and 2. Three roots, three octaves.

C · D

Single-note intros that imply the full add9 without filling the midrange.

Root plus the high C (in Drop C) and open D. Sparse on purpose.