What is the relative minor of E major?

C# minor — same four-sharp key signature.

What are the chords in the key of E major?

E major (I), F# minor (ii), G# minor (iii), A major (IV), B major (V), C# minor (vi), and D# diminished (vii°).

Key of E major — notes, key signature, and chords

E major has four sharps — F#, C#, G#, and D# — and is the brightest of the standard keys. It is the open-string home of a guitar (the lowest and highest strings are both E), so rock and blues in E have an immediate, ringing power. E major sits four clockwise steps from C on the circle of fifths.

Key signature

4sharps

1.F#
2.C#
3.G#
4.D#

Added in the standard order of sharps.

Diatonic chords

The seven triads built on each scale degree. These are the chords you hear used most in E major:

Roman	Chord	Quality	Notes
I	E	major	E · G# · B
ii	F#m	minor	F# · A · C#
iii	G#m	minor	G# · B · D#
IV	A	major	A · C# · E
V	B	major	B · D# · F#
vi	C#m	minor	C# · E · G#
vii°	D#°	diminished	D# · F# · A

Common progressions

The 12-bar blues in E (E–A–B7) is the most-played progression in rock history. I–IV–V in E is E–A–B; I–V–vi–IV is E–B–C#m–A. The ii–V–I cadence is F#m–B–E.

Relative minor

The relative minor of E major is C# minor — it shares the same key signature, just centred on the 6th degree of the E major scale (C#). A piece can move between E major and C# minor freely without any change of accidentals.

Common mistakes

Four sharps means F#, C#, G#, D# — that last one (D#) is the leading tone, easy to miss when sight-reading. Don't confuse E major with its parallel minor (E minor) which has only one sharp (F#). The relative minor is C# minor.

Drill it

The Circle of Fifths trainer drills every key signature — E major included — with timed flash cards and best-time tracking.

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Frequently asked

How many sharps does E major have?: E major has four sharps: F#, C#, G#, and D#.
What are the notes in the E major scale?: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#.
What is the relative minor of E major?: C# minor — same four-sharp key signature.
What are the chords in the key of E major?: E major (I), F# minor (ii), G# minor (iii), A major (IV), B major (V), C# minor (vi), and D# diminished (vii°).