How to Play the E Major Chord on Guitar: The Biggest-Sounding Open Chord

To play E major, put your middle finger on the A string at the 2nd fret, your ring finger on the D string at the 2nd fret, and your index finger on the G string at the 1st fret, then strum all six strings. Written low to high it is 0 2 2 1 0 0.

E is one of the most satisfying chords to learn early. It uses all six strings, so it sounds big, the shape is compact, and it is the home chord of countless blues and rock songs. It also teaches you a shape you will use for the rest of your playing, because the E shape is the basis of the most common barre chord.

Finger by finger

1. Middle finger on the A string, 2nd fret.
2. Ring finger on the D string, 2nd fret, right next to it.
3. Index finger on the G string, 1st fret.
4. Leave the low E, B and high e strings open. Strum all six.

Notice that E major is E minor with one extra finger. If you can already play Em with your middle and ring fingers, you only have to add the index finger on the G string. That is why E is usually learned right after Em and Am.

Why E sounds so full

Most open chords skip a string or two. E plays all six, and three of them are the note E in different octaves (the low E string, the D string at the 2nd fret and the high e string). That deep root note is what gives E its weight, and why rock and blues lean on it.

String	Fret	Note	Role in the chord
Low E (6th)	0	E	Root
A (5th)	2	B	5th
D (4th)	2	E	Root
G (3rd)	1	G#	Major 3rd
B (2nd)	0	B	5th
High e (1st)	0	E	Root

Common mistakes

• Index finger muting the B string. The index finger sits on the G string and its underside can touch the B string. Curl it so only the tip touches the G string.
• Fingers too far from the fret. The middle and ring fingers share the 2nd fret; push them toward the fret wire, not the middle of the space.
• Pressing too hard. The G string bends sharp easily. If E sounds sour but every string rings, ease off.
• Strumming only the middle strings. E wants all six strings, so let the strum start on the low E.

Changes with E

Change	What moves	Practice page
E to A	All three fingers move; A packs three fingers into the 2nd fret	A to E
E to B7	The middle finger stays on the A string at the 2nd fret	E to B7
Am to E	The same shape moves up one string	Am to E
E to Em	Lift the index finger	Practice by alternating every bar

E, A and B7 together are the chords of a 12-bar blues in E. Once the changes above are clean, try the full progression in our 12-bar blues guide.

E7 and Esus4: two easy variations

E7 (0 2 0 1 0 0) is E with the ring finger lifted, so the D string plays open D, the flat 7th. It has the bluesy tension that pulls toward A. Esus4 (0 2 2 2 0 0) moves the index finger's note up to the 2nd fret on the G string, usually with the little finger. Alternating E and Esus4 is a classic rock rhythm move.

From E to every barre chord

Slide the E shape up one fret, add a barre with your index finger behind it, and you have F. Move it to the 3rd fret and it is G; the 5th fret, A. That E-shape barre chord gives you every major chord on the neck, which is why getting the E shape automatic now pays off later. See barre chords for beginners when you are ready.

On the Fretwork chord difficulty index, the open E scores 21 out of 100, one of the easier full chords: three fingers, small stretch, nothing to mute.

Practice plan

1. Play Em, then add the index finger to make E. Repeat 20 times.
2. Pick each string of E; fix any that buzz.
3. One-minute changes: E to A, then A to E.
4. Four strums each on E, A and B7 with a metronome at 60 BPM.

Frequently asked questions