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E 7th sharp 5 chord on guitar (E7♯5)
Also called or written E7♯5, E or E Dominant 7th ♯5
E 7th sharp 5 contains E, G♯, B♯, and D. The open voicing uses all six strings, with the ring finger stretching to fret 3 on the 5th string.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7
- Root positionE–G♯–B♯–DE7♯50-3-0-1-1-0
- First inversionG♯–B♯–D–EE7♯5/G♯×-11-10-9-9-10
- Second inversionB♯–D–E–G♯E7♯5/B♯×-3-0-1-1-0
- Third inversionD–E–G♯–B♯E7♯5/D×-×-0-1-1-0
How do you play an E 7th sharp 5 chord on guitar?
E 7th sharp 5 is played in open position as 0 3 0 1 1 0: ring finger on the A string at fret 3, index finger on the G string at fret 1 and middle finger on the B string at fret 1. The low E, D and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 3 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 2 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
AdvancedThe ring finger must fret the 5th string at fret 3 while the index and middle fingers hold fret 1 on the 3rd and 2nd strings, requiring a stretch.
Open · 0-3-0-1-3-0
E 7th sharp 5 is played in open position as 0 3 0 1 3 0: middle finger on the A string at fret 3, index finger on the G string at fret 1 and ring finger on the B string at fret 3. The low E, D and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 2 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
Open · 0-3-2-1-3-0
E 7th sharp 5 is played in open position as 0 3 2 1 3 0: ring finger on the A string at fret 3, middle finger on the D string at fret 2, index finger on the G string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 3. The low E and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 3 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 2 | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
E7♯5/G♯ inversion
E 7th sharp 5 is played at the 9th fret as × 11 10 9 9 10: barre your index finger across fret 9, pinky finger on the A string at fret 11, middle finger on the D string at fret 10 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 10. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 4 | G♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 2 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 3 | D (♭7) |
E7♯5/B♯ inversion
E 7th sharp 5 is played in open position as × 3 0 1 1 0: ring finger on the A string at fret 3, index finger on the G string at fret 1 and middle finger on the B string at fret 1. The D and high e strings ring open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 3 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 2 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
Why it sounds like that
E 7th sharp 5 is built from the formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7. The augmented 5th between E and B♯ gives the chord its tense quality. Compare it with E 7th, which has a perfect 5th.
What goes wrong with E 7th sharp 5?
- Letting the ring finger flatten and mute the 4th string.
- Fretting the 4th string accidentally with the index finger.
- Strumming too hard and causing the open strings to ring out of balance.
When to use it
E 7th sharp 5 functions as a dominant chord in A major, often resolving to A major. Its bright, tense sound suits blues and rock.
Changing to and from E 7th sharp 5
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 1st fret gives D 7th sharp 5.
- Move the ring finger from fret 3 to fret 4 on the 5th string to reach F 7th sharp 5.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps E in the bass, while the E7♯5/G♯ inversion puts G♯ in the bass for a smoother bass line. The E7♯5/B♯ inversion places B♯ in the bass, emphasizing the augmented 5th.
Other E chords
Common questions
What is the difference between E 7th sharp 5 and E augmented?
E augmented has no 7th, so it contains only E, G♯, and B♯. E 7th sharp 5 adds the minor 7th D, creating a dominant sound.
Why does E 7th sharp 5 sound tense?
The augmented 5th interval between E and B♯ is dissonant. The tritone between G♯ and D adds further instability.
Can E 7th sharp 5 be played in open position?
Yes, the open voicing uses open strings on the 6th, 4th, and 1st strings, making it accessible but requiring careful finger placement.