What chords are in the key of E Major?

The key of E Major uses E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B, C♯m. Those six cover almost every song written in E Major; the seventh, a diminished chord on the leading note, turns up far more rarely.

How many sharps or flats does E Major have?

E Major has 4 sharps in its key signature.

What is the relative minor of E Major?

C♯ Minor — it shares the same notes and the same key signature as E Major, just centred on a different home chord. Songs slip between the two all the time.

What capo position is best for E Major?

A capo on fret 4, fingering C shapes. It sounds exactly like E Major but swaps the barre chords for open ones.

Chords in the Key of E Major

E Major is built from E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B, C♯m and carries 4 sharps in its key signature. On guitar it is easiest with a capo on fret 4, fingering C shapes.

The 6 chords of E Major

Tap any diagram for a full fingering guide for that chord.

F♯mii

G♯miii

AIV

C♯mvi

Chord numbers and numerals

Roman numerals are how theory writes a key; Nashville numbers are how session players call one on stage. Both say the same thing — the chord's position in the key, independent of which key you end up in.

Numeral	Nashville	Chord in E Major	Role
I	1	E	Home chord (tonic)
ii	2m	F♯m	Sets up the V
iii	3m	G♯m	Gentle, wistful
IV	4	A	Subdominant
V	5	B	Dominant — pulls home
vi	6m	C♯m	Relative minor

More on this in the Nashville number system guide.

Common progressions in E Major

The same handful of progressions carry most of popular music. Here they are written out in this key.

The four-chord song

I – V – vi – IV

The most-used progression in modern pop and worship. If a song feels instantly familiar, it is usually this.

E→B→C♯m→A

The three-chord trick

I – IV – V

Folk, blues, country and early rock live here. Three chords and the truth.

E→A→B

The sensitive rotation

vi – IV – I – V

The same four chords starting on the relative minor, which makes it feel wistful rather than triumphant.

C♯m→A→E→B

The '50s progression

I – vi – IV – V

Doo-wop and slow-dance ballads — think of any song with a swung 6/8 feel.

E→C♯m→A→B

The jazz cadence

ii – V – I

The strongest resolution in tonal music, and the backbone of jazz standards.

F♯m→B→E

Playing E Major on guitar

How hard this key is has nothing to do with the music and everything to do with where the notes fall on the neck.

Played open, E Major asks for barre chords, which is tiring over a full set and a common place for beginners to stall. Put a capo on fret 4 and finger C shapes instead: the song still sounds in E Major, but your hand is doing the easy version. See the full capo breakdown for E Major →

Its relative minor is C♯ Minor — same notes, same key signature, different centre of gravity. The parallel key, E Minor, keeps the same home note but flips the mood; borrowing a chord from it is one of the oldest tricks for making a chorus land.

Move a song into or out of E Major

If E Major does not fit the singer, these pages show exactly which chord becomes which.

Frequently asked questions

What chords are in the key of E Major?: The key of E Major uses E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B, C♯m. Those six cover almost every song written in E Major; the seventh, a diminished chord on the leading note, turns up far more rarely.
How many sharps or flats does E Major have?: E Major has 4 sharps in its key signature.
What is the relative minor of E Major?: C♯ Minor — it shares the same notes and the same key signature as E Major, just centred on a different home chord. Songs slip between the two all the time.
What capo position is best for E Major?: A capo on fret 4, fingering C shapes. It sounds exactly like E Major but swaps the barre chords for open ones.

Have a chart in E Major?

Upload the PDF or a photo and move every chord to whatever key you need — the layout stays exactly as printed, capo banner included.

Transpose a chart Capo for E Major