Skip to content
piano.org
A piano reference: chords, scales, theory & ear training.
/

Key of E

The key of E major has four sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). Its seven notes are E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, and D♯. Its relative minor is C♯ Minor, which shares the same notes and key signature. The chords that belong to the key are I E major, ii F♯ minor, iii G♯ minor, IV A major, V B major, vi C♯ minor, vii° D♯ diminished. Its dominant is B major and its subdominant is A major — the keys it most naturally moves toward. Keys built on sharps, like E major, are traditionally described as bright and brilliant.

Key Signature

The notes of the E Major come from E Major, so it carries that key signature: 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).

F♯C♯G♯D♯

Order of sharps

Sharps are added to a key signature in a fixed order. Each new sharp key adds the next sharp on the list.

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Relative minor: C♯ Minor scale — same notes, same key signature, different home note.

Chords in the Key of E Major

Every major key is built from seven diatonic chords — one on each note of the scale. In E major they are I E Major, ii F♯ Minor, iii G♯ Minor, IV A Major, V B Major, vi C♯ Minor, and vii° D♯ Diminished. Tap any chord to light it up on the keyboard.

C1C2C3C4EBC5C6C7C8G#
I — E Major (major)

Common chord progressions in E major

  • I – IV – V — E → A → B — the three primary chords
  • I – V – vi – IV — E → B → C♯ → A — the most common pop progression
  • ii – V – I — F♯ → B → E — the backbone of jazz
  • I – vi – IV – V — E → C♯ → A → B — the classic doo-wop turnaround

Everything in the key of E

Every chord, scale, and mode in E — click any link for the full interactive page with piano diagrams, audio, notation, and fingerings.

E Chords

E Major ChordE Minor ChordE Augmented ChordE Diminished ChordE Suspended 2nd ChordE Suspended 4th ChordE Major 6 ChordE Minor 6th ChordE Dominant 7th ChordE Major 7th ChordE Minor 7th ChordE Minor Major 7th ChordE Diminished 7th ChordE Half Diminished ChordE Augmented 7th ChordE Dominant 7th Sharp 11 ChordE Add 9 ChordE Major 9th ChordE Minor 9th ChordE Major 11th ChordE Minor 11th ChordE Major 13th ChordE Minor 13th ChordE Dominant 9th ChordE Dominant 7th ♭5 ChordE Major 6/9 ChordE Power ChordE Dominant 11th ChordE Dominant 13th ChordE Dominant 7th sus4 ChordE Dominant 9th sus4 ChordE Dominant 13th sus4 ChordE Dominant 7th ♭9 ChordE Dominant 7th ♯9 ChordE Dominant 7th ♭13 ChordE Dominant 7th ♯5 ChordE Dominant 9th ♭5 ChordE Dominant 9th ♯5 ChordE Dominant 7th ♭9 ♯11 ChordE Dominant 7th ♯9 ♯11 ChordE Dominant 7th ♭5 ♯9 ChordE Minor 11th ♭5 ChordE Minor 13th ♭5 ChordE Add 4 ChordE Minor Add 9 ChordE Minor Add 11 ChordE Major 7♯5 ChordE Major 7♭5 ChordE Minor 7♯5 ChordE Major 7♯11 ChordE Major 9♯11 ChordE Dominant 9♯11 ChordE Diminished Major 7th Chord

E Scales

E Major ScaleE Minor ScaleE Major Pentatonic ScaleE Minor Pentatonic ScaleE Major Blues ScaleE Minor Blues ScaleE Harmonic Minor ScaleE Melodic Minor ScaleE Chromatic ScaleE Altered ScaleE Phrygian Dominant ScaleE Locrian Sharp 2 ScaleE Lydian Dominant ScaleE Whole Tone ScaleE Whole-Half Diminished ScaleE Half-Whole Diminished ScaleE Major Bebop ScaleE Dominant Bebop ScaleE Minor Bebop ScaleE Harmonic Major ScaleE Double Harmonic ScaleE Hungarian Minor ScaleE Major b6 Pentatonic ScaleE Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale

E Modes

E Ionian1st Mode · = Major ScaleE Dorian2nd Mode of MajorE Phrygian3rd Mode of MajorE Lydian4th Mode of MajorE Mixolydian5th Mode of MajorE Aeolian6th Mode · = Natural MinorE Locrian7th Mode of Major
CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭BC♭