Something I've been pondering...

[Jolly McJollyson]

Okay got one tiny thing thats been bothering me

E |--------------------------------------------------------
B |--------------------------------------------------------
G |--------------------------------------------------------
D |---7----------------------------------------------------
A |---7-------7--------------------------------------------
E |---5-------5--------------------------------------------

Those chords are both "A5" only the first one contains a second "A" an octave above the first one. So, how do you tell what someone means when they say "A5?" Or is the first one called "A5 with an octave?"

[TheDirt]

|-x--x--0--x--x---
|-x--1--1--x--1---
|-0--0--0--x--0---
|-2--2--2--2--2---
|-3--3--3--3--x---
|-x--x--x--3--3---

and I could keep going...

These are all examples of a C Major chord. Which one is right? Doesn't matter. They all contain the notes C, E, G which are what C Major is composed of. The choice of voicing, including note doubling, register, and inversion, is up to the guitarist. So, your A5s are both right. Do whatever sounds best in each particular song. Sometimes playing the octave might be too much; sometimes it might be what the song needs...

[Jolly McJollyson]

No, I know that they're both RIGHT. I just wnated to know if they were called the same thing or if you had to say "A5 with an octave" for the second. Just been bugging me, thanks for the answer dude!

[TheDirt]

What I was saying is that ANY chord with A and E, regardless of voicing is just called A5.

|-x--x--x--0--5--
|-x--x--x--x--5--
|-x--x--x--2--x--
|-2--x--7--2--7--
|-0--7--7--0--7--
|-x--5--5--x--5--

Though some contain doubled notes, all of these are just called A5