E major chordE

Built from

• Eroot
• G♯major 3rd
• B5th

The major 3rd sits four frets above the root and makes the chord sound open and sure of itself.

Hear it in a progression

• The pop progression

  Behind countless hits. Hopeful, then bittersweet. In E major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. EI
  2. BV
  3. C♯mvi
  4. AIV

• Three-chord song

  Folk, rock and roll, campfire. In E major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. EI
  2. AIV
  3. BV
  4. EI

• Doo-wop

  Fifties ballad, sweet and nostalgic. In E major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. EI
  2. C♯mvi
  3. AIV
  4. BV

Where it goes next

Thinking in E major, where it is the I chord.

• A

  IV. Lifts away from home without leaving it.

• B

  V. Builds tension that wants to come back.

• C♯m

  vi. Same key, sadder colour: the relative minor.

• F♯m

  ii. A gentle step up that sets up the V chord.

Sounds close

• C♯m7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have E, G♯ and B.

• C♯m

  Its relative minor: same key, sadder. Both have E and G♯.

• A♭m

  Shares two notes: a softer swap. Both have G♯ and B.

• Cmaj7

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have E and B.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• E major
• E major pentatonic
• E mixolydian
• E lydian

Keys it lives in

• E majoras I
• A majoras V
• B majoras IV
• G♯ minoras VI
• C♯ minoras III
• F♯ minoras VII