Key of E on Guitar: Chords and Progressions
Four sharps. The home key of electric blues - the low E string is the root, so riffs play themselves.
The notes
E F# G# A B C# D#
Find them all on the fretboard notes tool.
The chords in this key
Build a chord on every note of the scale and you get the seven chords that always sound good together in E. The Roman numerals are how musicians talk about them - they work in every key.
| Numeral | Chord |
|---|---|
| I | E |
| ii | F#m |
| iii | G#m |
| IV | A |
| V | B |
| vi | C#m |
| vii° | D#dim |
Progressions to try
- E - A - B - twelve-bar blues in its natural habitat.
- E - B - C#m - A - pop-punk staple.
Why this matters: when someone says a song is "in E", these are the chords they are choosing from. Learn the I, IV, and V chords first - that is most songs.