E Major
E major has 4 sharps. Its relative minor is C#m and its parallel key is Em. This page lists the signature, scale notes, diatonic chords, and go-to progressions, with tools that play the sound.
Key signature
Sharps: 4 (Notes: F#, C#, G#, D#)
Scale notes
The notes that make up this scale, shown with their degrees.
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D# |
Diatonic chords
The chords that belong to this key, color-coded by role: T (tonic), SD (subdominant), D (dominant).
Triads
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ⅰ | E | E G# B | T |
| Ⅱm | F#m | F# A C# | SD |
| Ⅲm | G#m | G# B D# | T |
| Ⅳ | A | A C# E | SD |
| Ⅴ | B | B D# F# | D |
| Ⅵm | C#m | C# E G# | T |
| Ⅶdim | D#dim | D# Gb A | D |
Seventh chords
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ⅰmaj7 | Emaj7 | E G# B D# | T |
| Ⅱm7 | F#m7 | F# A C# E | SD |
| Ⅲm7 | G#m7 | G# B D# Gb | T |
| Ⅳmaj7 | Amaj7 | A C# E G# | SD |
| Ⅴ7 | B7 | B D# F# A | D |
| Ⅵm7 | C#m7 | C# E G# B | T |
| Ⅶm7b5 | D#m7b5 | D# Gb A Db | D |
Related keys
Go-to progressions in this key
Common progressions written out with the real chord names for this key. Play them in the progression player to hear them.
| Progression | Chords | |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Road Progression | A - B - G#m - C#m | ▶ Play in player |
| Canon Progression | E - B - C#m - G#m - A - E - A - B | ▶ Play in player |
| Komuro Progression | C#m - A - B - E | ▶ Play in player |
Hear it with the tools
Links that open each tool preset to this key.
Related articles
Articles for anyone who wants to understand keys and signatures more deeply.