E major chord on guitar (E)

E is E, G♯ and B. The easiest shape is 0-2-2-1-0-0. Press Play to hear it, then try it at half speed.

0-2-2-1-0-0 · open · easy

Notes: E · G♯ · B
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5
First shape: 0-2-2-1-0-0

How to play E on guitar

Shape 1, 0-2-2-1-0-0, reading from the low E string on the left:

G♯: index finger, 1st fret of the G string.
B: middle finger, 2nd fret of the A string.
E: ring finger, 2nd fret of the D string.
Leave the low E, B and high E strings open: E, B and E.

Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.

Other ways to play E

12-14-14-13-12-12: barre shape at the 12th fret, medium. Built on the E open shape with the barre as a movable nut; the root is on the 6th string.
x-7-9-9-9-7: barre shape at the 7th fret, medium. The root is on the A string; it's the A shape moved up the neck.
x-7-6-4-5-4: partial barre shape at the 4th fret, medium. A different set of strings gives a different color of the same chord.

Playing E with a capo

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 2nd fret and play the open D shape (x-x-0-2-3-2), capo on the 4th fret and play the open C shape (x-3-2-0-1-0) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open A shape (x-0-2-2-2-0). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

E chord changes

Songs rarely hold E for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

A (IV in E major): E (0-2-2-1-0-0) to A (x-0-2-2-2-0): your index finger lands on the D string, 2nd fret, the middle finger goes to the G string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the B string, 2nd fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. Shared note: E. A on guitar
B (V in E major): E (0-2-2-1-0-0) to B (x-2-4-4-4-2): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 2nd fret, your middle finger lands on the D string, 4th fret, move the ring finger to the G string, 4th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 4th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. B carries over from one chord to the other. B on guitar
C♯m (vi in E major): E (0-2-2-1-0-0) to C♯m (x-4-6-6-5-4): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 4th fret, move the middle finger to the B string, 5th fret, the ring finger goes to the D string, 6th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the G string, 6th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. Listen for E and G♯, which stay put while the rest moves. C♯m on guitar

E has the stable, upbeat sound of every major triad. Major chords are the backbone of most songs; E is home in E major and a common IV or V in the keys around it. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

Practice E in two minutes

Arpeggiate 0-2-2-1-0-0 from the lowest string: E, B, E, G♯, B, E. Then strum it and listen for the same 6 notes together. Finish by moving between 0-2-2-1-0-0 and 12-14-14-13-12-12 to learn two positions of the same chord.

Where E shows up

In E major, I–V–vi–IV on guitar is E (0-2-2-1-0-0), B (x-2-4-4-4-2), C♯m (x-4-6-6-5-4) and A (x-0-2-2-2-0). About the pop progression.

In E major, I–IV–V on guitar is E (0-2-2-1-0-0), A (x-0-2-2-2-0) and B (x-2-4-4-4-2). About the three-chord progression.

In E major, I–vi–IV–V on guitar is E (0-2-2-1-0-0), C♯m (x-4-6-6-5-4), A (x-0-2-2-2-0) and B (x-2-4-4-4-2). About the 50s progression.

E on piano and ukulele

The same notes on another instrument: E on piano and E on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.

Related E chords on guitar

Other major chords

E on guitar: questions

What notes are in E on guitar?

E, G♯ and B. In the 0-2-2-1-0-0 shape the strings play E (low E string, open), B (A string), E (D string), G♯ (G string), B (B string, open) and E (high E string, open), so E and B are doubled.

What's the easiest way to play E on guitar?

0-2-2-1-0-0, shape 1 above. No barre: some strings ring open.

Is E a barre chord on guitar?

Not in its common form: 0-2-2-1-0-0 needs no barre. The barre versions come later, higher on the neck.

Which string does E start on?

In the 0-2-2-1-0-0 shape the lowest string you play is the low E string, open, which is E, the root.

Every shape above plays only E, G♯ and B, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.