HOW TO PLAY
The E Chord
The E major chord on guitar is one of the first, and most important, chords to learn.
Here's how to get started:
You can see, you just need three fingers, and you'll be playing all six strings:
STEP BY STEP
How to play a E Major chord on the guitar
- Put your first finger on the first fret of the third string.
- Put your second finger on the second fret of the fifth string.
- Put your third finger on the second fret of the fourth string.
- Play all six strings.
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Easy Songs with E Major
The most common progression you’ll likely see with E Major is going from E, to A, to B, or I, IV, V.
E
|
A
|
B
|
Adding in the minor six chord (C#m), you have the classic `I-V-iv-IV` pattern:
E
|
B
|
C#m
|
A
|
Beast of Burden, by The Rolling Stones is a great example:
As is Mean, by Taylor Swift:
And Eall you’re Bever gonna be is Amean
Chords to Learn Next
If you're playing E Major, you should make sure you know two other key chords to play alongside it—A, and B7:
And don't miss our easy videos that teach you how to play C# minor—another chord you'll find handy with these three:
EXPLORE CHORDBANK
Anna Freitas holds a B.A. from Berklee College of Music and performs throughout New England as a guitarist and vocalist. She continues to teach students, both in-person and online via Skype.