E chords form the basis of many musical pieces and are among the first chords beginners are exposed to.
These chords can be heard in some of the most iconic songs from classic rock to folk like Greensleeves, as well as being used as the foundation for many popular guitar riffs.
Early on in your playing journey it’s essential that you practice open chords regularly in order to develop finger dexterity and accuracy.
E Major
E major is a staple chord for guitarists and has become one of the earliest pieces of known music. The open version of E major chord is quick and simple to play without needing for finger gymnastics or complicated finger coordination techniques.
To play it, place your index finger on the first fret of the A string. Next, use your middle finger to fret the second fret of B string while ring finger frets third fret on D string – strumming all six strings at once will produce a beautiful, full sound including notes E, G and B.
The E minor 7th (also referred to as Em7) chord is a four-note arrangement containing all the intervals present in an E major triad but adding an extra major sixth note. This chord can provide a haunting, melancholy tone that works well alongside other chords in blues music.
E Minor
E minor chord is more complex than its major equivalent, due to the third interval being flat (E – G – B).
An E minor chord can be created by placing your index finger on the first fret of the E string, middle finger on second fret of A string and ring finger on second fret of D string and strumming all six strings at once – this creates the rich sound of this triad.
To practice an E minor chord, begin by placing your fingers in an E minor shape and counting to four with strumming on each beat, trying to remember its shape and notes within. Next, remove them for four beats before repeating this exercise until muscle memory develops for this barre chord and others like it.
E Blues
The Winery Dogs are an exciting blues guitar trio to check out, blending hard rock songwriting with classic blues technique. One of their hallmarks is using an E blues scale scale for creating rich sounds over minor chord progressions.
This blues-influenced scale is based on E minor pentatonic, with an additional reduced fifth note interval or “b5th,” giving it its signature blues sound while helping avoid clashing with major chords on fretboard diagram. You can see this effect below.
This chord shape provides the ideal framework for employing various blues techniques, including string bends or hammer-ons. Hammer-ons involve striking a fretted string with your finger before lifting it off again quickly to create vibrato effects in the chord sound. Blues guitarists frequently employ pull-offs – striking an open string and then quickly releasing it – for maximum effect in their blues playing style.
E Scale
The E Major scale contains four sharps and three natural notes, making it more complex than most white key major scales yet still using fingering techniques similar to most white key major scales. To remember its order on your fingers, think of zig-zagging pattern: one sharp before two flats after.
Major scale note names align with their octaves, so building one using your fingers should be similar to building the C scale: starting from middle C and moving up towards E. This scale also requires using your thumb when crossing Xs.
Guitar tabs (also called tablature) represent scale diagrams in another way. Many find that studying both diagrams and tabs helps them better comprehend the fretboard; both styles are common among musicians and can coexist peacefully together.