E Major Scale - Emily Learning Music

E Major Scale it starts and ends with E. The relative minor of E Major is C# minor. Both of these keys have F#, C#, G# and D#.

E Major Key Signature

Here’s the key signature for E Major – F#, C#, G# and D#.

key signature of E Major in treble clef. This is also the key signature of C# minor, a relative minor of E major.

key signature of E Major in bass clef. This is also the key signature of C# minor, a relative minor of E major.

key signature of E Major in alto clef. This is also the key signature of C# minor, a relative minor of E major.

key signature of E Major in tenor clef. This is also the key signature of C# minor, a relative minor of E major.

Notes in the Scale of E Major

When we play a scale, we usually start off with an ascending scale (the notes get higher), followed by descending scale (the notes get lower).

Ascending scale of E Major: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E

Descending scale of E Major: E, D#, C#, B, A, G#, F#, E

Degrees of the Scale

Degrees of the scale refers to the number we assign to each note of a scale. When we are assigning degrees of a scale, we look at the scale in ascending order. Here are the notes for the various degrees of the E Major scale:

1st degree: E

2nd degree: F#

3rd degree: G#

4th degree: A

5th degree: B

6th degree: C#

7th degree: D#

Technical Names of Notes in E Major

Instead of using the degree of the scale, we can also use technical names of notes.

tonic – E

supertonic – F#

mediant – G#

subdominant – A

dominant – B

submediant – C#

leading note – D#

Semitones and Tones

In all major scales, they follow this:

Pairs of notes	Tone or semitone apart?
1st -> 2nd	tone
2nd -> 3rd	tone
3rd -> 4th	semitone
4th -> 5th	tone
5th -> 6th	tone
6th -> 7th	tone
7th -> 8th	semitone

Most adjacent pairs of notes in the major scale are a tone apart, except for the 3rd to 4th note, and the 7th to the 8th note. This doesn’t apply just to E Major scale, but for ALL major scales. By knowing the distance between the notes in a Major scale, we can form any major scale even if we do not know its key signature.

In this case, the semitones are found here:

From G# to A (3rd to 4th note)
From D# to E (7th to 8th note)

E Major Scale on different clefs.

Here’s how the E Major scales look like in treble clef (without key signature). I’ve also included the fingerings:

E Major ascending and descending scales in treble clef with fingerings included.

Here’s how the E Major scales look like in bass clef (without key signature). I’ve also included the fingerings:

E Major ascending and descending scales in bass clef with fingerings included.

Here’s how the E Major scales look like in alto clef.

E Major ascending and descending scales in alto clef.

Here’s how the E Major scales look like in tenor clef (without key signature).

How to play the E Major scale on the piano

The fingerings for the right hand part of the E Major scale are:

E -1/5 (Use 5th finger for the highest note of the scale)

F#- 2

G#- 3

A -1

B – 2

C#- 3

D# – 4

The fingerings for the left hand part of the E Major scale are:

E -1/5 (Use the 5th finger for the lowest note, the rest should be played with the 1st finger or thumb)

F#- 4

G#- 3

A -2

B – 1

C#- 3

D# – 2