E major scale
The E major scale is E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E. It has 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯), its relative minor is C♯ minor, and the standard piano fingering is 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left hand.
E major scale notes
The E major scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E. Four of the seven are black keys on the piano (F♯, G♯, C♯ and D♯); the other three are white keys.
The step pattern is W W H W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between G♯ and A and D♯ and E.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | E | do | White |
| 2 | Supertonic | F♯ | re | Black |
| 3 | Mediant | G♯ | mi | Black |
| 4 | Subdominant | A | fa | White |
| 5 | Dominant | B | sol | White |
| 6 | Submediant | C♯ | la | Black |
| 7 | Leading tone | D♯ | ti | Black |
E major key signature
The E major key signature has 4 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯, written in that order at the start of every line. Sharps are always added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. C♯ minor shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the sharps sit F♯ on the fifth line from the bottom, C♯ in the third space from the bottom, G♯ in the space just above the top line and D♯ on the fourth line from the bottom.
Shortcut: the last sharp, D♯, is one half step below the major tonic (E).
E major scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Left hand | E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 |
Right hand going up: G♯ (finger 3) to A (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: B (finger 1) to C♯ (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in E major
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of E major. The primary chords are E (I), A (IV) and B (V).
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | E | E G♯ B | Emaj7 | E G♯ B D♯ |
| ii | F♯m | F♯ A C♯ | F♯m7 | F♯ A C♯ E |
| iii | G♯m | G♯ B D♯ | G♯m7 | G♯ B D♯ F♯ |
| IV | A | A C♯ E | Amaj7 | A C♯ E G♯ |
| V | B | B D♯ F♯ | B7 | B D♯ F♯ A |
| vi | C♯m | C♯ E G♯ | C♯m7 | C♯ E G♯ B |
| vii° | D♯° | D♯ F♯ A | D♯m7♭5 | D♯ F♯ A C♯ |
One of the most common progressions in pop music, I V vi IV, is E, B, C♯m, A in E major. A ii V I cadence is F♯m7, B7, Emaj7.
Reading E major on the staff
E major has four sharps. On the keyboard they are F sharp and G sharp, from the group of three black keys, and C sharp and D sharp, which make up the whole group of two.
On the treble staff, E4 to E5 needs no ledger lines. On the bass staff, E3 to E4 needs 2 ledger lines above the staff. Because of those ledger lines, left hand parts in this key are often written an octave lower, from E2.
The reading trap in E major is the key signature: the sharps are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯), then check every F, C, G and D on the page.
How to practise the E major scale
- Say the notes before you play them: E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: E (E G♯ B), A (A C♯ E) and B (B D♯ F♯).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills major scales, triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to E major
- C sharp minor scale: relative minor, same key signature
- E minor scale: parallel minor, same tonic
- B major scale: a fifth above, 5 sharps
- A major scale: a fifth below, 3 sharps
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the E major scale?
The E major scale is E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E, then E again an octave higher.
How many sharps are in E major?
E major has 4 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯.
What is the relative minor of E major?
C♯ minor. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on C♯.
What chords are in E major?
E (I), F♯m (ii), G♯m (iii), A (IV), B (V), C♯m (vi), D♯° (vii°).
What is the fingering for the E major scale on piano?
Right hand 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 going up from E; left hand 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.