E major scale on ukulele
The E major scale has the notes E F# G# A B C# D#. It is the scale of happy songs and most pop music. Use it for singable melodies over any chord in the major key.
Notes and degrees
| Note | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
In the first five frets
Standard G C E A tuning (high G). The number is the fret; 0 is the open string.
| String | Frets (note) |
|---|---|
| G | 1 (G#) · 2 (A) · 4 (B) |
| C | 1 (C#) · 3 (D#) · 4 (E) |
| E | 0 (E) · 2 (F#) · 4 (G#) · 5 (A) |
| A | 0 (A) · 2 (B) · 4 (C#) |
Chords that fit
Over these chords the scale sounds in key. Aim for each chord's notes on the strong beats.
- EI
- F#mii
- G#miii
- AIV
- BV
- C#mvi
- D#dimvii°
How to use it
- Start and end your phrases on E: that is where the scale rests.
- Over E, the safest notes are the chord tones. In the app, they show in green.
- Move by neighboring steps and leave space between phrases; rhythm matters as much as the note.
See also: chords in the key of E major · E minor · E minor pentatonic · E blues