Make E yours.
Listen, find the notes, then play them back. Your keyboard is the instrument.
Start with Listen, then play the highlighted notes.
⌨ Lower octave: A W S E D F T G Y H U J · Upper: K O L P ; ' ] Z X C V B N. Click inside this studio before using computer keys. On phones, slide the keyboard to reach higher notes. Black keys show both common note names.
Download your current note pattern and tempo, or print a practice sheet.
Take it from notes to music.
E major is built from three notes: E, G#, and B. Its formula, 1 3 5, names the root, the major third, and the perfect fifth. Because the chord is made of stacked thirds, your ear can learn its shape by hearing the distance from E up to G# and from G# up to B.
Spelling the chord
Start on E. The third is G-sharp, four semitones above E, and the fifth is B, seven semitones above E. G-sharp is the black key immediately between G and A. On the studio keyboard it is also labeled A-flat, an alternative name for that same pitch. The reference uses G-sharp because the third of a chord rooted on E needs the letter G. E, G-sharp and B therefore describe both the pitches and their roles.
Hearing the major third
Keep E and B fixed while comparing G-sharp with G natural. E to G-sharp is a major third of four semitones; E to G is a minor third of three. Changing that one note turns E major into E minor. The comparison controls on this page let you hear both triads on the same root. Avoid changing to an unrelated chord during this comparison: keeping two notes fixed makes the difference easier to isolate.
Using the chord in a key
In the key of E major, the four-chord exercise below uses E major, A major, B major and E major. Its left-hand bass names the root while the right-hand voicings keep the upper notes close. Try both spread settings and observe which upper note moves. The studio tempo slider controls playback of your selected note phrase; it does not change the speed of the separate progression player or score your manual rhythm.
Play E major from the highlighted keyboard diagram and confirm each note by ear.
- Open the highlighted keyboard diagram and locate E, G#, and B in the C4 to C6 range.
- In guided mode, play E4, G-sharp4 and B4 in order. Their computer shortcuts are D, Y and J.
- Use Hear the chord above the studio to hear the complete triad. Then compare its G-sharp with the G natural of E minor.
- Choose Listen & repeat, listen to the generated three-note phrase and copy its exact pitches and order.
- Slow the phrase playback if needed, turn off hints for guided practice, or export the exact phrase as MIDI for your next session.
A common wrong turn
Playing G natural instead of G-sharp changes E major into E minor. Choosing the A-flat label on the G-sharp/A-flat key does not change the sound; those labels refer to the same key.
Try this instead: Find the black key between G and A. Its G-sharp label matches this chord’s spelling. Compare E and G-sharp with E and G natural while holding the root fixed, then restore B to complete the triad.
What are the three notes of E major, and how many semitones separate E from its third?Check your answer +
The notes are E, G#, and B. The third, G#, is four semitones above E.
AI-assisted lesson · notes and formula checked against this reference. How our material is made · Report a correction
Four chords. Less jumping.
Try I → IV → V → I in E major. Play the bass with your left hand and the three upper notes with your right. The upper voicings are chosen to keep movement small.
E major
LH E
RH B · E · G♯
A major
LH A
RH C♯ · E · A
B major
LH B
RH B · D♯ · F♯
E major
LH E
RH B · E · G♯
Spread limits describe distances between notes, not a recommended fingering or a guarantee of comfort. Use one note at a time if needed.
What notes make up E major?
E major contains E, G♯, B. Its interval formula is 1 3 5. The numbers describe degrees relative to E; a flat lowers a degree by one semitone and a sharp raises it by one semitone.
| Degree | Note | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | 0 |
| 3 | G♯ | 4 |
| 5 | B | 7 |
Spelling follows the interval formula. Double accidentals can be correct; a different-looking key name may sound at the same pitch.
A useful way to practice it
Build a tonic chord, then move to the fourth and fifth degrees of a major key.
- Find E first. Say the remaining notes aloud: G♯, B.
- Play each note separately, then sound the full chord. Check the 3 highlighted keys against the diagram.
- Compare the voicings below. Listen for the bass changing while the pitch classes remain the same.
- Download the MIDI to loop the example, or print the PDF and mark your own comfortable fingering.
Extended chords can span a wide range. Share the notes between both hands, roll the chord, or study one voice at a time; the diagrams do not prescribe a hand stretch.
E major or E minor?
Keep the root E fixed. Only the third changes between these triads. Compare G♯ ↔ G, then listen to each version.
Positions & voicings
Each diagram keeps the same chord tones while changing which note is lowest or moving the shape into another register. For extended chords, these are complete reference voicings rather than a compact accompaniment prescription.
Root position · middle register
Root position · upper register
Inversion 1 · middle register
Inversion 1 · upper register
Inversion 2 · middle register
Inversion 2 · upper register
Using the files
The PDF includes every displayed position. SVG diagrams stay sharp when resized, and MIDI files contain the reference notes rather than a recording. Playback uses a simple synthesized tone; your MIDI app can use a different piano sound.
These diagrams are generated from the interval formula shown above. Read how our references are made →
Published · Original Artistry Piano reference · Report a correction