E Major Scale
The E major scale (also called E Ionian) contains E – F# – G# – A – B – C# – D#. Its key signature has 4 sharps: F#, C#, G# and D#.
| Note | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D# | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Piano fingering for one octave going up; 1 is the thumb. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.
E major scale fingering
Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to A. Left hand, going up: finger 3 crosses over the thumb to C#. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.
Key signature
E major has 4 sharps: F#, C#, G# and D#. Its relative minor is C# minor, which uses the same notes and key signature. See the chords in the key of E major and of C# minor.
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Semitones from E |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | 0 |
| 2 | F# | 2 |
| 3 | G# | 4 |
| 4 | A | 5 |
| 5 | B | 7 |
| 6 | C# | 9 |
| 7 | D# | 11 |
Step pattern
The Major scale is built from the pattern W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same mode in a different key.
Chords in E Major
Building a triad on each degree of the scale gives you the chords that belong to it. These are the chords to reach for when writing in E Major.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | E | E G# B |
| 2 | ii | F#m | F# A C# |
| 3 | iii | G#m | G# B D# |
| 4 | IV | A | A C# E |
| 5 | V | B | B D# F# |
| 6 | vi | C#m | C# E G# |
| 7 | vii° | D#dim | D# F# A |
Other modes on E
More scales on E
Major scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the E Major scale?
The E Major scale contains E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, then returns to E an octave higher.
What is the fingering for the E major scale on piano?
Going up from E to E, the right hand plays 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 and the left hand plays 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1, where 1 is the thumb. Coming down, use the same fingers in reverse.
How many sharps are in E major?
E major has 4 sharps: F#, C#, G# and D#.
What is the step pattern of the Major scale?
The Major scale follows the whole/half step pattern W – W – H – W – W – W – H, where W is a whole step (two semitones) and H is a half step (one semitone).
Which chords work with the E Major scale?
The diatonic chords are E, F#m, G#m, A, B, C#m, D#dim. Each is built only from notes of the E Major scale, so they all belong to the same tonality — though the diminished chord carries a tritone and normally wants to resolve.