E major (E) chord on banjo

Looking for the E chord on banjo? It is a major triad, made of three notes: E – G♯ – B.

Dots show:

Basic shapeeasy

Position 4medium

Position 9medium

Position 6medium

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

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What the E chord sounds like

A major triad sounds stable and bright: root, major third and perfect fifth. Most songs are built on major chords – in a major key, chords I, IV and V are all major.

Notes of the E chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	E	root
3	G♯	major third (4 semitones)
5	B	perfect fifth (7 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (D): fret 2, ring finger (E4)
String 2 (B): open (B3)
String 3 (G): fret 1, index finger (G♯3)
String 4 (D): fret 2, middle finger (E3)

Position 4

String 1 (D): fret 6, little finger (G♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 5, middle finger (E4)
String 3 (G): fret 4, index finger (B3)
String 4 (D): fret 6, ring finger (G♯3)

Position 9

String 1 (D): fret 9, little finger (B4)
String 2 (B): fret 9, ring finger (G♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 9, middle finger (E4)
String 4 (D): fret 9, index finger (B3)

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The E chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

E major: I (tonic)
A major: V (dominant)
B major: IV (subdominant)
A minor: V (dominant)
F♯ minor: VII
C♯ minor: III
G♯ minor: VI

Similar chords and substitutes

If E is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

C♯m – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
A♭m – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
Emaj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
Esus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Richer versions

E7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Emaj7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
E6 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Eadd9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E chord?

E, G♯, B. The root is E; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth.

What is the easiest way to play E on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”, rated easy. We show 4 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

How is the E chord written?

The chord symbol is E, and its full name is E major.