Also written E, Emaj or EM
E major contains the notes E, G♯, and B. This beginner shape uses open strings and only three fretted notes, making it one of the easiest bass chords to play.
The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.
E major is built from the formula 1, 3, 5: root E, major third G♯, and perfect fifth B. The major third, four semitones above the root, gives the chord its bright, stable quality. Lower that third by one semitone to G and you get E minor, the parallel minor with a darker sound.
E major appears as the I chord in the I–IV–V–I progression E–A–B–E in E major. It also works as the IV chord in B major and the V chord in A major. Use E major for bright rock, country, and pop bass lines that need a strong root.
The open voicing puts the root E in the bass, giving a solid, grounded sound. For a lighter feel, use the E/G♯ inversion, which places the third in the bass and adds forward motion. The E/B inversion with the fifth in the bass works well when you want a less assertive low end.
E major is played in open position as 0 2 2 1: middle finger on the A string at fret 2, ring finger on the D string at fret 2 and index finger on the G string at fret 1. The E string rings open.
Tip — Fretting three adjacent strings with different fingers while keeping the open string clean requires careful hand positioning.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 3 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (5) |
| 2 (D) | 2 | 3 | E (1) |
| 1 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
E major is played at the 12th fret as 12 14 14 13: index finger on the E string at fret 12, ring finger on the A string at fret 14, pinky finger on the D string at fret 14 and middle finger on the G string at fret 13.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 12 | 1 | E (1) |
| 3 (A) | 14 | 3 | B (5) |
| 2 (D) | 14 | 4 | E (1) |
| 1 (G) | 13 | 2 | G♯ (3) |
E major is played at the 2nd fret as 4 2 2 4: ring finger on the E string at fret 4, index finger on the A string at fret 2, middle finger on the D string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 4.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 4 | 3 | G♯ (3) |
| 3 (A) | 2 | 1 | B (5) |
| 2 (D) | 2 | 2 | E (1) |
| 1 (G) | 4 | 4 | B (5) |
E major is played at the 1st fret as × 2 2 1: middle finger on the A string at fret 2, ring finger on the D string at fret 2 and index finger on the G string at fret 1. The E string stays muted.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (5) |
| 2 (D) | 2 | 3 | E (1) |
| 1 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
E major is played at the 6th fret as 7 7 6 ×: middle finger on the E string at fret 7, ring finger on the A string at fret 7 and index finger on the D string at fret 6. The G string stays muted.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 7 | 2 | B (5) |
| 3 (A) | 7 | 3 | E (1) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
| 1 (G) | muted | — | — |
E major is written as E, Emaj, or EM. There is no enharmonic spelling for E major.
E major has a major third (G♯), while E minor has a minor third (G). This single note changes the chord from bright to dark. The fifth, B, is the same in both chords.
Yes, the 12th fret voicing puts the root E on the 4th string and uses the same shape as the open position but higher. This voicing sits well when the bass needs to cut through a dense mix.