Common
About the E Major scale
E Major is used for anthems, pop hooks, hymns and anything that should feel uplifting and stable. Think of it as the bright, resolved, "happy" sound that anchors most pop, folk and classical music. It is E Lydian with the fourth lowered.
Its notes are E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, and D♯. The formula is W W H W W W H.
Also called the Ionian mode, Diatonic Major, and Bilawal.
E Major uses four black keys on the piano, F♯, G♯, C♯, and D♯.
Chords in the key of E Major
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
Position 2 of 3
E over G sharp (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
F sharp minor over A (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
G sharp minor over B (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
A over C sharp (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
B over D sharp (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
C sharp minor over E (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
D sharp diminished over F sharp (1st inversion)
Seventh chords in E Major
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
E major seven
F sharp minor seven
G sharp minor seven
A major seven
B seven
C sharp minor seven
D sharp minor seven flat five
Progressions in E Major
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | EE | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | F#F♯ | Major 2nd |
| 3 | G#G♯ | Major 3rd |
| 4 | AA | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | BB | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | C#C♯ | Major 6th |
| 7 | D#D♯ | Major 7th |
| Steps | W W H W W W H |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 |
| Degrees | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
Fingering
Standard fingering
| Hand | E | F sharp | G sharp | A | B | C sharp | D sharp | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Practicing it
Going up, the right hand passes its thumb under on A. The left hand crosses over its thumb on B. The left hand's fingering read backwards is the right hand's, so starting both thumbs on E and playing outward in contrary motion uses the same finger in each hand at every step. Every black key here, F♯, G♯, C♯, and D♯, sits under a long finger, and the fourth finger anchors the shape on D♯, so the thumb never has to reach onto the raised group.
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Major in other keys
C Major scaleD flat Major scaleD Major scaleE flat Major scaleF Major scaleG flat Major scaleG Major scaleA flat Major scaleA Major scaleB flat Major scaleB Major scale
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
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