E major

Four sharps, F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯. Seven notes: E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯. Try the key’s seven chords in different places on the neck. Press a shape to hear it and see its notes.

Signature: 4♯
Relative: C♯ minor
Parallel: E minor

Labels

NotesR 3 5Degrees

Across one chord in different positions. Down the chords in one position.
IMainEE · G♯ · B
iiF♯mF♯ · A · C♯
iiiG♯mG♯ · B · D♯
IVMainAA · C♯ · E
VMainBB · D♯ · F♯
viMainC♯mC♯ · E · G♯
vii°D♯°D♯ · F♯ · A

Light up

Walk up to A. Strum E, pick F♯ and G♯ on the way up, land on A. Listen to how the bass connects the chords.

Triads on the top three strings. Three notes, three places, all E. Try them when a full six-string chord feels too busy.

LowFrets 0–1
MiddleFrets 4–5
HighFrets 7–9

Same chords, higher. The four main chords in the open position, then again in frets 4 to 8. Listen to how the higher voicings change the sound.

Four chords in one positionE – A – B – C♯m without leaving frets 2 to 6.70 bpmLevel 1
Climb with one chordE in all four places, low to high. Hear it brighten.60 bpmLevel 1
Walk up to AStrum E, then walk the bass F♯ – G♯ into A.90 bpmLevel 2
Scale, then chordsPlay the scale in frets 4 to 8, then the four chords there.70 bpmLevel 2

The four-chord loop
I – V – vi – IV
- E
- B
- C♯m
- A
The three-chord song
I – IV – V – I
- E
- A
- B
- E
The fifties ballad
I – vi – IV – V
- E
- C♯m
- A
- B
The jazz cadence
ii7 – V7 – Imaj7

E major

E
F♯
G♯
A
B
C♯
D♯

A major

E
F♯
G♯
A
B
C♯
D

E major is A major with D raised to D♯.

5♭D♭B♭m

4♭A♭Fm

3♭E♭Cm

2♭B♭Gm

1♭F Dm

0C Am

1♯G Em

2♯D Bm

3♯A F♯m

4♯E C♯m

5♯B G♯m

6♯F♯D♯m

E major

Three patterns to try

Four drills, with a click

Strum along

A major with D raised

Move one step, or jump anywhere

E major

Modes of these notes