E major scale

E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯: the E major scale has 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). Change the root or the scale type below to see any other scale.

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Music scales

Key (tonic)Scale

E major scale

E, 1F♯, 2G♯, 3A, 4B, 5C♯, 6D♯, 7

The E major scale has 7 notes: E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ and D♯.

Formula1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Steps (W = whole, H = half)W – W – H – W – W – W – H

Semitones2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 1

On the piano

On the staff (treble clef)

On the guitar fretboard (standard tuning, frets 0-12)

Scale degrees

Degree	Note	Name	Interval from the tonic
1	E	tonic	perfect unison
2	F♯	supertonic	major second
3	G♯	mediant	major third
4	A	subdominant	perfect fourth
5	B	dominant	perfect fifth
6	C♯	submediant	major sixth
7	D♯	leading tone	major seventh

Key signature4 sharps (F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯)

Relative minorC♯ minor

Chords in E major

E, IF♯m, iiG♯m, iiiA, IVB, VC♯m, viD♯dim, vii°

Notes of the E major scale

The E major scale has 7 notes: E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ and D♯. Like every major scale, it follows the pattern W–W–H–W–W–W–H (W = whole step, H = half step) from E up to the next E.

It has 4 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯.

Degree	Note	Name
1	E	Tonic
2	F♯	Supertonic
3	G♯	Mediant
4	A	Subdominant
5	B	Dominant
6	C♯	Submediant
7	D♯	Leading tone

Chords in E major

Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the chords of E major: E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B, C♯m and D♯dim.

Degree	Triad	Seventh chord
I	E (E G♯ B)	Emaj7 (E G♯ B D♯)
ii	F♯m (F♯ A C♯)	F♯m7 (F♯ A C♯ E)
iii	G♯m (G♯ B D♯)	G♯m7 (G♯ B D♯ F♯)
IV	A (A C♯ E)	Amaj7 (A C♯ E G♯)
V	B (B D♯ F♯)	B7 (B D♯ F♯ A)
vi	C♯m (C♯ E G♯)	C♯m7 (C♯ E G♯ B)
vii°	D♯dim (D♯ F♯ A)	D♯m7♭5 (D♯ F♯ A C♯)

Key signature and related keys

E major uses the key signature with 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). Its relative minor is C♯ minor: the same notes and key signature, starting on C♯. Its parallel minor is E minor, which starts on the same note, E.

All major and minor scales

Major scales

Natural minor scales

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the E major scale?

E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ and D♯.

How many sharps or flats are in E major?

4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).

What is the relative minor of E major?

C♯ minor. Both keys share the same key signature.

What chords are in the key of E major?

E (I), F♯m (ii), G♯m (iii), A (IV), B (V), C♯m (vi), D♯dim (vii°).

Other tools you may need

Music scalesNotes of any scale on the piano, staff and guitar Circle of fifthsEvery key with its signature, relative minor and chords Key signaturesSharps and flats of every key, in treble and bass clef Chords in a keyThe seven chords of any key, with Roman numerals