E chord (E major) on guitar
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.
E chord shapes
Fingers: 2 on A, 3 on D, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on A, 2 on D, 3 on G, 4 on e.
Fingers: 2 on A, 3 on D, 1 on G, 4 on e.
Fingers: 4 on A, 3 on D, 1 on G, 2 on B.
Fingers: 4 on A, 3 on D, 1 on G.
Finger 1 barres fret 7, then 3 on D, 3 on G, 3 on B.
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
Guitar · 6-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G, B, e. 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).
- B string: fret 0 B (5), fret 5 E (1), fret 9 G# (3), fret 12 B (5), fret 17 E (1), fret 21 G# (3), fret 24 B (5).
- 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).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
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 guitar?
The easiest shape is 022100. Fingers: 2 on A, 3 on D, 1 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.