Emaj7 chord on piano
Emaj7 is E, G♯, B and D♯. E is the white key just right of the pair of black keys. Hit Play and watch each key light as it sounds.
root position · E–G♯–B–D♯ · right hand 1-2-3-5
- Notes
- E · G♯ · B · D♯
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5 · 7
How to play Emaj7 on piano
From E, go 4 half steps up to G♯, 3 half steps up to B then 4 half steps up to D♯. Those 4 keys are Emaj7.
- Right hand: 1 on E, 2 on G♯, 3 on B and 5 on D♯.
- Left hand: 5 on E, 3 on G♯, 2 on B and 1 on D♯.
- On the keyboard it's white, black, white and black keys, the same pattern as Dmaj7 and Amaj7, so your hand shape carries over.
Emaj7 inversions
- root position: E–G♯–B–D♯. RH 1-2-3-5.
- 1st inversion: G♯–B–D♯–E (G♯ in the bass). Right hand 1-2-3-5.
- 2nd inversion: B–D♯–E–G♯, with B at the bottom. Right hand 1-2-3-5.
- 3rd inversion: D♯–E–G♯–B, D♯ lowest. Fingers 1-2-3-5.
Nobody plays every chord in root position. The inversions let Emaj7 sit wherever the previous chord left your hand.
Emaj7 chord changes
These are the changes you'll meet most often with Emaj7, using the first shape of each chord.
- Amaj7 (IV in E major): Emaj7 to Amaj7: play Amaj7 in 2nd inversion (E–G♯–A–C♯) and E and G♯ stay under the same fingers, while B moves down to A and D♯ down to C♯. Amaj7 on piano
- B7 (V in E major): Emaj7 to B7: play B7 in 2nd inversion (F♯–A–B–D♯) and B and D♯ stay under the same fingers, while E moves up to F♯ and G♯ up to A. B7 on piano
- C♯m7 (vi in E major): Emaj7 to C♯m7: play C♯m7 in 1st inversion (E–G♯–B–C♯) and E, G♯ and B stay under the same fingers, while D♯ moves down to C♯. C♯m7 on piano
Emaj7 is a major seventh chord: a major triad with the note a half step below the octave added. Emaj7 works as a relaxed home chord; swap it in for plain E at the end of a phrase. On piano you hear it best with the keys pressed together, then rolled.
Getting Emaj7 under your fingers
Play Emaj7 broken, one key at a time: E, G♯, B, D♯, B, G♯, E. Then press the keys together and check that all 4 sound at the same volume. Then climb the inversions: E–G♯–B–D♯, then G♯–B–D♯–E, then B–D♯–E–G♯, then D♯–E–G♯–B.
The keys of Emaj7
Emaj7 is a major seventh chord, 1–3–5–7 from E. Root position, from the bottom: how Emaj7 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| G♯ | black key | RH 2 · LH 3 | major third |
| B | white key | RH 3 · LH 2 | perfect fifth |
| D♯ | black key | RH 5 · LH 1 | major seventh |
Keys and progressions with Emaj7
In E major, ii–V–I on piano is F♯m7 (F♯–A–C♯–E), B7 (B–D♯–F♯–A) and Emaj7 (E–G♯–B–D♯). About the jazz cadence.
Emaj7 on guitar and ukulele
Emaj7 on guitar and ukulele uses the same 4 notes in a different layout. See all three together.
Next to try on piano
Other major seventh chords
Emaj7 on piano: questions
What notes are in Emaj7 on piano?
E, G♯, B and D♯: E (white key), G♯ (black key), B (white key) and D♯ (black key). Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
How do you play Emaj7 on piano?
Press E, G♯, B and D♯ together (2 black, 2 white). Right hand: 1 on E, 2 on G♯, 3 on B and 5 on D♯.
What are the inversions of Emaj7?
1st inversion (G♯–B–D♯–E), 2nd inversion (B–D♯–E–G♯) and 3rd inversion (D♯–E–G♯–B), after root position (E–G♯–B–D♯). Each keeps all the notes of the chord.
What does Emaj7 look like on the keyboard?
white, black, white and black keys, the same pattern as Dmaj7 and Amaj7, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Emaj7. Updated September 2026.