akousia
Start here

E Major Chord

E major is E, G sharp and B. In E major it can sound finished; in A major it sets up the return to A. Its ringing open guitar grip makes that second role easy to hear.

  • Notes: E-G sharp-B
  • Symbol: E
  • Home chord of E major
  • Leads to A
Switch chordE

How to play an E major chord

Notes: E - G# - B · symbol E

  • Root position

    E - G# - B
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-3-5 · Left 5-3-1

  • 1st inversion

    G# - B - E
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-5 · Left 5-3-1

  • 2nd inversion

    B - E - G#
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-3-5 · Left 5-2-1

Where does E major belong?

All three notes come from the E major scale, so E major is the home chord of that key.
Press play on the role cards to hear the same chord do different jobs elsewhere; Diatonic Chords explains the numbered roles.

  • In E majorHome
    I

    A song in E major keeps coming back to this chord.

    AIVBVEI
  • In A majorTension
    V

    It pulls back to A: G sharp wants to rise one half step to A.

    AIDIVEVAI
  • In B majorA step away
    IV

    A warm move away from B, softer than the V that follows.

    BIEIVF#VBI
  • In A minorMinor-key dominant
    V

    Harmonic minor raises the third to G sharp, so Am sounds truly finished.

    AmiDmivEVAmi

Progressions to try

  • EABE

    I-IV-V-I in E major gives the last E a sense of return.

  • EBC#mA

    The I-V-vi-IV loop visits C# minor before A turns it around.

  • ADEA

    E acts as V in A major; the final A answers it.

  • AmDmEAm

    E is the major V in A minor, and G sharp leads to A.

Which shape should you use?

On guitar, The open 022100 lets the low E ring. Use x79997 higher up when the arrangement already has enough low notes.

On ukulele, 1402 is an open ukulele shape; 4447 places E higher up.

On piano, choose the first inversion when coming from the nearby chord A-C sharp-E. Play E as G sharp-B-E: E stays in place while A moves to G sharp and C sharp moves to B.

What are the inversions?

E is the root. G sharp is the major third, four semitones above it; B is the fifth, seven semitones above it.

  • Root position: E-G sharp-B, with E lowest.
  • First inversion: G sharp-B-E, written E/G# when G sharp is the lowest note.
  • Second inversion: B-E-G sharp, written E/B when B is the lowest note.

A separate bass instrument can change the lowest note even when the right hand plays an inversion. Chord Inversions explains what the slash tells the player.

How does E minor differ?

Keep E and B; lower only G sharp to G. The result is E-G-B, the E minor chord. Use the comparer to hear that single change before judging the whole sound.

  • E

    E - G# - B
    C4C5

    E major

  • Em

    E - G - B
    C4C5

    E minor

Try another chord