What notes are in the E chord?

E (E major) has three notes: E, G♯ and B, the root, 3 and 5.

How do you play E on guitar?

E has an open shape, and one movable shape: the A shape at fret 7.

E belongs to seven keys: A major (V), E major (I), B major (IV), A minor (V, harmonic minor), F♯ minor (VII), C♯ minor (III) and G♯ minor (VI).

Guitar chords · Major

E chord on guitar

E (E major) has three notes: E, G♯ and B, the , 3 and 5.

Shapes

How to play E

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

E has an , and one : the A shape at 7. A movable shape keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

Open
A shape · fret 7

Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes E major

A major chord stacks a major 3rd and a perfect 5th on the . It is the bright, settled sound most songs start and end on.

1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The 3rd makes E a major chord; you can leave out the 5th.

ERroot
G♯3essential
B5optional

E, the root
Other chord tones

Keys

Keys with E

E belongs to seven keys: A major (V), E major (I), B major (IV), A minor (V, ), F♯ minor (VII), C♯ minor (III) and G♯ minor (VI).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Progressions

Progressions with E

Common progressions that use E, each in a key that spells it E. The outlined chord is E.

The pop axis in E major
I – V – vi – IV
1. E
2. B
3. C♯m
4. A
Four chords that carry a huge share of modern pop. All four sit next to each other on the circle.
Heard in Let It Be, No Woman No Cry, With or Without You
Three-chord rock in E major
I – IV – V – IV
1. E
2. A
3. B
4. A
Tonic, subdominant, dominant: the key and its two neighbours on the outer ring.
Heard in La Bamba, Twist and Shout, Wild Thing
'50s doo-wop in E major
I – vi – IV – V
1. E
2. C♯m
3. A
4. B
The vi chord softens the move from I to IV before the V pulls back home.
Heard in Stand by Me, Every Breath You Take
Minor pop in F♯ minor
i – VI – III – VII
1. F♯m
2. D
3. A
4. E
The pop axis rotated to start on the relative minor — same four chords, darker centre.
Heard in Zombie, Numb, Despacito
Andalusian cadence in A minor
i – VII – VI – V
1. Am
2. G
3. F
4. E
A stepwise walk down to a major V borrowed from harmonic minor. Flamenco's signature move.
Heard in Hit the Road Jack, Runaway, Stray Cat Strut

Slash chords

E over another bass note

A keeps E on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

E/G♯
E with its 3rd, G♯, in the bass: the first inversion.
E/B
E with its 5th, B, in the bass: the second inversion.
E/D♯
E over D♯, a passing bass a below the , as in E, E/D♯, C♯m.
E/D
E over D, a passing bass a below the , as in E, E/D, A.

Same root

Change one or two notes and the same gives a different colour. Compare them by ear.

Questions

E, in short

What notes are in the E chord?: E (E major) has three notes: E, G♯ and B, the , 3 and 5.
How do you play E on guitar?: E has an , and one : the A shape at 7.
What key is E in?: E belongs to seven keys: A major (V), E major (I), B major (IV), A minor (V, ), F♯ minor (VII), C♯ minor (III) and G♯ minor (VI).

All guitar chords

The pop axis in E major

Three-chord rock in E major

'50s doo-wop in E major

Minor pop in F♯ minor

Andalusian cadence in A minor