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E A D G B E

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Key

Chords in E major

E major is built from the notes E, F#, G#, A, B, C# and D#. Its scale carries 4 sharps. Harmonising that scale in thirds gives seven chords — 3 majors, 3 minors and 1 diminished — starting on E as the I. The chord on the fifth degree is B, a major V, so E major has the leading tone that makes a B-to-E cadence sound final.

Beyond those seven, E major commonly borrows Em (i), F#dim (iiø), G (bIII), Am (iv) and Bm (v) from the parallel minor — the mixture chords that give a progression somewhere unexpected to go.

The seven chords

IEE major, open position, capo 0022100iiF#mF# minor, open position, capo 0244222iiiG#mG# minor, position 4, capo 04fr466444IVAA major, open position, capo 0x02220VBB major, open position, capo 0x24442viC#mC# minor, position 4, capo 04frx46650viiøD#dimD# diminished, open position, capo 02012xx

Extended to four notes each, the same seven degrees give Emaj7, F#m7, G#m7, Amaj7, B7, C#m7, D#m7b5.

Borrowed chords

iEmE minor, open position, capo 0022000iiøF#dimF# diminished, open position, capo 02342xxbIIIGG major, open position, capo 0320003ivAmA minor, open position, capo 0x02210vBmB minor, open position, capo 0x20402bVICC major, open position, capo 0x32010bVIIDD major, open position, capo 0xx0232
Capo

Capo 4 and play C major shapes to sound E major.

All eight capo positions for E major →

Related keys

Open E major in the explorer →