E major chords, relative minor and Camelot code (12B)
E major has 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). Its chords are E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B, C♯m and D♯°. The relative minor is C♯ minor and the Camelot code is 12B, so it mixes cleanly with 11B, 1B and 12A.
Notes in the E major scale
E major has 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | F♯ | G♯ | A | B | C♯ | D♯ |
Chords in E major
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get the seven chords that belong to the key:
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I | E | E · G♯ · B |
| ii | F♯m | F♯ · A · C♯ |
| iii | G♯m | G♯ · B · D♯ |
| IV | A | A · C♯ · E |
| V | B | B · D♯ · F♯ |
| vi | C♯m | C♯ · E · G♯ |
| vii° | D♯° | D♯ · F♯ · A |
Common progressions in E major
- E – B – C♯m – A (I–V–vi–IV): the most used pop progression of the last forty years.
- E – C♯m – A – B (I–vi–IV–V): the 1950s doo-wop turnaround.
- F♯m – B – E (ii–V–I): the jazz cadence.
- C♯m – A – E – B (vi–IV–I–V): the same four chords as I–V–vi–IV, started on the minor chord for a darker feel.
Keys that mix with E major
E major is 12B on the Camelot wheel. For a clean blend, go to a key next to it:
| Camelot | Key | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 11B | A major | One step round the wheel: shares six of its seven notes |
| 1B | B major | One step the other way: also shares six of seven notes |
| 12A | C♯ minor | The relative minor: exactly the same notes |
How the wheel works is in the Camelot wheel explained, and how to use it in a set is in harmonic mixing for DJs.
Relative and parallel keys
The relative minor, C♯ minor, uses exactly the same notes with a different home chord. The parallel minor, E minor, keeps E as home but changes three notes. More on the difference in relative major and minor keys.
Questions people ask
What chords are in E major?
E (I), F♯m (ii), G♯m (iii), A (IV), B (V), C♯m (vi) and D♯° (vii°).
What is the relative minor of E major?
C♯ minor. It uses the same 7 notes, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, but centres on C♯ instead of E.
What is the Camelot code for E major?
12B. In Open Key notation it is 5d.
What keys mix well with E major?
A major (11B), B major (1B) and C♯ minor (12A). They sit next to 12B on the Camelot wheel.
How many sharps or flats does E major have?
4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).