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E Major Scale on Piano

The E major scale uses E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ and D♯. See the keyboard, key signature and one-octave fingering, then practice the scale.

Starting noteE
Key signatureF#, C#, G#, D#
Range1 octave
Current scale

E Major

Hand
Right hand
Range
E4-E5 · 1 octave
Demo / print tempo
60 BPM

E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D♯ – E

Direction: Ascending · E4 → E5 · Semitone movement: 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 1

Tempo60 BPM

Ascending

Fingering from the listed sources
NotesE4F♯4G♯4A4B4C♯5D♯5E5
Fingers12312345

One-octave fingering.

E4♯F#4♯G#4A4B4♯C#5♯D#5E5

Keyboard

E4 to E5
E4F4F♯4G4G♯4A4A#4Bb4B4C5C♯5D5D♯5E5

Sources

Finger numbers identify fingers, not scale degrees. Only one-octave, separately checked rows are shown.

Practice task

Check the notes

Select every note used in E Major, ascending. This question checks the note set; octave and order do not matter.

Chosen: None

Attempt open · unassisted

Answer reference: E Major, ascending - note set

E - F♯ - G♯ - A - B - C♯ - D♯. Octave and order are not scored in this question.

Answer reference: E Major, ascending - right hand

E4 - F♯4 - G♯4 - A4 - B4 - C♯5 - D♯5 - E5

Single-hand guide

Practice with a pulse

60 BPM

This guide does not listen to your piano. Completion is self-reported. The staff is a pitch reference; the pulse controls timing.

Practice tempo: 60 BPM · 1 octave · Right hand · E4-E5 · 4-beat count-in

PianoGrid

E Major

Key signature: F#, C#, G#, D#

Current scale

E Major

Hand
Right hand
Range
E4-E5 · 1 octave
Demo / print tempo
60 BPM

E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D♯ – E

Direction: Ascending · E4 → E5 · Semitone movement: 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 1

Ascending

Fingering from the listed sources
NotesE4F♯4G♯4A4B4C♯5D♯5E5
Fingers12312345

One-octave fingering.

E4♯F#4♯G#4A4B4♯C#5♯D#5E5

Keyboard

E4 to E5
E4F4F♯4G4G♯4A4A#4Bb4B4C5C♯5D5D♯5E5

Sources

One-octave reference. Finger numbers appear only for the hand and direction combinations covered by the sources listed above.

E Major notes

E Major contains E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#. Repeat E at the top to complete one octave. Its key signature has 4 sharps.

Use E, A, and B as visual anchors

The unaltered note names in E major are E, A, and B. F♯, G♯, C♯, and D♯ fill the remaining degrees. Its half steps are G♯–A and D♯–E. Both involve a black key followed by a white key in the ascent.

One-octave fingering

The right-hand thumb moves from its initial E to A after fingers 2 and 3 play F♯ and G♯. The left-hand thumb reaches B, then finger 3 crosses to C♯. On the descent, use the separately recorded reverse-direction fingers attached to the notes.

A short practice check

Suggested drill: locate E, A, and B first, then fill in the intervening scale notes. Play G♯–A and D♯–E separately and listen to each half step. Finally, run from E to E and back while checking that the four sharp names survive the change of direction.

Continue with a source-backed reference that matches this task.

Chords and scale degrees in E major

Each degree of E major has a name, and stacking every other note from that degree gives the triad built on it. Roman numerals use capitals for major triads, lower case for minor and ° for diminished.

C♯ minor is the relative minor of E major. Both keys use the same notes and key signature, but the minor key starts on degree 6.

E major uses four black keys: F♯, G♯, C♯ and D♯.

On a narrow screen, scroll this table horizontally to read every column.

Scale degrees and triads in E major
DegreeNoteDegree nameTriadTriad notes
1ETonicI · E majorE – G♯ – B
2F♯Supertonicii · F♯ minorF♯ – A – C♯
3G♯Mediantiii · G♯ minorG♯ – B – D♯
4ASubdominantIV · A majorA – C♯ – E
5BDominantV · B majorB – D♯ – F♯
6C♯Submediantvi · C♯ minorC♯ – E – G♯
7D♯Leading tonevii° · D♯ diminishedD♯ – F♯ – A

Adding a seventh to the dominant triad gives V7, the dominant seventh of E major. B7: B – D♯ – F♯ – A.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes and key signature of E major?

The one-octave ascending notes are E–F#–G#–A–B–C#–D#–E. The key signature contains 4 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D#. These accidentals also apply in descent.

Which notes remain natural in the four-sharp key of E major?

E, A and B remain natural. The full octave is E–F#–G#–A–B–C#–D#–E; F#, C#, G# and D# are its key-signature sharps.

Which fingers are used by each hand ascending and descending over one octave?

This source-documented one-octave reference shows right hand ascending 1–2–3–1–2–3–4–5 and descending 5–4–3–2–1–3–2–1; left hand ascending 5–4–3–2–1–3–2–1 and descending 1–2–3–1–2–3–4–5. Read each row in playing order. These are sourced choices, not the only possible fingerings, and must not be repeated mechanically for a second octave.

What should I check during a short practice run?

Suggested drill: locate E, A, and B first, then fill in the intervening scale notes. Play G♯–A and D♯–E separately and listen to each half step. Finally, run from E to E and back while checking that the four sharp names survive the change of direction.

Sources

References for the notes, patterns and examples on this page.