E Major: Beginners Guide
E major is a popular key in music, and it’s also a great key for piano players. Understanding E major can help you improve your playing, composing, and overall understanding of music theory. In this guide, we’ll explore the key of E major on the piano, including the scales, chords, and progressions.
- The E Major Scale The E major scale consists of the following notes: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, and D#. To play the E major scale on the piano, start with your right thumb on the E key (located just to the left of the two black keys in the center of the keyboard) and follow this sequence of notes:
E — F# — G# — A — B — C# — D# — E
When playing the E major scale, remember to use the proper fingerings for each note, starting with your right thumb and following the finger sequence 1–2–3–1–2–3–4–5.
- Chords in E Major The chords in the key of E major are as follows:
E, F#m, G#m, A, B, C#m, and D#dim
To play these chords on the piano, use your right hand to press down the corresponding keys simultaneously. For example, to play the E major chord, press down the E, G#, and B keys at the same time. For the F#m chord, press down the F#, A, and C# keys, and so on.
- Common Progressions in E Major Some of the most common chord progressions in the key of E major are as follows:
I-IV-V (E-A-B) vi-IV-I-V (C#m-A-E-B) iii-vi-ii-V (G#m-C#m-F#m-B)
To play these progressions on the piano, use your left hand to play the chords in the bass, and your right hand to play the melody or other accompanying notes. You can also experiment with different inversions and chord voicings to create unique harmonies and textures.
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