E Major
Key Signature
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tonic | E |
| Mode | Major |
| Accidentals | 4 sharps |
| Key Signature Notes | F#, C#, G#, D# |
E major has four sharps and a powerful, resonant sound particularly suited to guitar. It is one of the most common keys in rock and blues music.
Diatonic Chords
The seven diatonic chords of E Major — each built on a scale degree using only the notes of the key signature:
| Degree | Roman Numeral | Chord Type | Chord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | Major | E Major |
| 2 | ii | Minor | F# Minor |
| 3 | iii | Minor | G# Minor |
| 4 | IV | Major | A Major |
| 5 | V | Major | B Major |
| 6 | vi | Minor | C# Minor |
| 7 | vii° | Diminished | D# Diminished |
Related Keys
- Relative Minor
- C Sharp Minor — shares the same key signature.
- Parallel Minor
- E Minor — same tonic, different key signature.
See all key relationships on the Circle of Fifths.
Scales in E Major
Common scales built from the E tonic:
Transposing Instrument Context
Sharp-key signatures like E Major are comfortable for open-string instruments (guitar, violin). Bb instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor saxophone) read in F# major to sound E Major. Eb instruments (alto saxophone, Eb clarinet) read in C# major to sound E Major. Standard guitar tuning (E A D G B E) resonates naturally in E Major.