E chord (E major) on bass
E (E major) has three notes: E, G sharp and B. Its formula is 1, 3, 5. In major keys, E is the I chord in E major, the IV in B major and the V in A major.
How to play E on bass
Low notes close together sound muddy, so bass players spread a chord out and leave notes out. Forms with a 3rd or 7th sound clear from about the E string's 8th fret up, so they start there; root and 5th stays low. These forms put the root on the E string; the same shapes work from the A string.
Fingers: 1 on E, 2 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 2 on G.
Fingers: 1 on A.
Fingers: 1 on A, 1 on D.
Hear it and see every shape in ScaleSpace →
| Symbol | E |
|---|---|
| Also written | Emaj, EM |
| Notes | E G# B |
| Formula | 1 3 5 |
| Intervals | root, major third, perfect fifth |
| Type | Major chord |
E across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 0 E (1), fret 4 G# (3), fret 7 B (5), fret 12 E (1), fret 16 G# (3), fret 19 B (5), fret 24 E (1).
- A string: fret 2 B (5), fret 7 E (1), fret 11 G# (3), fret 14 B (5), fret 19 E (1), fret 23 G# (3).
- D string: fret 2 E (1), fret 6 G# (3), fret 9 B (5), fret 14 E (1), fret 18 G# (3), fret 21 B (5).
- G string: fret 1 G# (3), fret 4 B (5), fret 9 E (1), fret 13 G# (3), fret 16 B (5), fret 21 E (1).
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Questions
What notes are in the E chord?
E (E major) has three notes: E, G sharp and B. Its formula is 1, 3, 5. E is the root, G# is the major third and B is the perfect fifth.
How do you play E on bass?
Bass players spread it out rather than strum it. The simplest form is the root and 10th: 1 10, root on the E string, fret 12. Fingers: 1 on E, 2 on G.
What key is E in?
In major keys, E is the I chord in E major, the IV in B major and the V in A major. It is diatonic to those keys, so it fits songs in any of them.
What is the difference between E and Em?
E has a major 3rd, G#. Em lowers it a half step to G, which is what makes it sound minor. The root and 5th stay the same.