E major

The scale with four sharps

In sharp keys the tonic lies a semitone above the last sharp: with the four sharps F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ it lies a semitone above D♯, so on E. E major is thus the fourth sharp key on the circle of fifths.

The chords of E major

The seven degrees give E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B, C♯m and D♯°. Tonic (E), subdominant (A) and dominant (B) are the main functions.

E major on the guitar

E major is one of the five open chords with which most song accompaniment is possible. An open E major chord becomes E minor by lifting a single finger: the one on the third string, first fret. One finger, one semitone, a complete change of mood. According to the article Equal, meantone, just, the chord sounds slightly off on many guitars although all the open strings show zero cents because of finger pressure: it raises the string tension by different amounts depending on string thickness and position. Intonation at the bridge helps, and, for the major third G♯, a deliberately slightly low-tuned G string.

E major also turns up in harmony as a target of resolution: the diminished seventh chord C–E♭–G♭–A resolves to E major if you read E♭ as D♯ and G♭ as F♯, that is, as D♯–F♯–A–C.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting the D♯: With four sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯ apply.
• Confusing E major and C♯ minor: Both have four sharps; the ending decides.
• Spelling: Write the note letter as a capital and the mode word in lowercase: “E major”, “C♯ minor”.