E piano chord — the keys, the inversions, the theory

E is a major chord built from E, G#, B. Below: the keys to press, every inversion with its own diagram, the intervals it is made of, the keys whose scale contains it, and a progression that actually uses it. Press any diagram to hear it.

E

E · G# · B

Piano keyboardC4C5

Semitones above the root: 0 – 4 – 7

A major third at the bottom is what makes this bright and settled.

Inversions of E

  • Root position

    E · G# · B · bass E

  • Inversion 1

    G# · B · E · bass G#

  • Inversion 2

    B · E · G# · bass B

Same chord, different note at the bottom. Press a diagram to hear it — inversions are how you move between chords without jumping your hand across the keyboard.

Keys that contain E

  • AV
  • EI
  • BIV

In A it does this job: I – V – vi – IV

  1. A
  2. E
  3. F#m
  4. D

Questions