Which strings do I strum for E major?

6 strings, from the thick E string down to the thin e. All six ring.

What notes are in a E major chord?

E, G#, B. The E is the root, the note the chord is named after. The G# makes it major.

What chords go with E?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, A and B, and its relative minor, C#m. Songs move between these because they share notes.

major chord

E major chord on guitar

All six strings, two open. The fullest sound a beginner can make, and the root of the blues.

Loading the guitar…

Where the fingers go

1
middle finger, A string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A.
2
ring finger, D string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D.
3
index finger, G string, fret 1
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
4
Leave the thick E, B, thin e strings open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
5
Strum 6 strings, from the thick E string down
All six strings belong to this chord.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in E

A chord is three or four notes played together. E major is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
E	root	thick E string, open; D string, fret 2; thin e string, open
G#	major third	G string, fret 1
B	fifth	A string, fret 2; B string, open

The root, E, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds bright and settled.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

A and B are E’s neighbours. Most songs in E use one or both.
C#m is its relative minor: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

The index finger on the wrong string

It goes on the G string at fret 1, not the B. Count from the thick string: E A D G.

Tip

E to A minor is the same shape

Move every finger one string toward the floor and you have A minor.

Songs that use it

The key of E, the end of Greensleeves, and the chord that pulls back to A minor.

In those songs, E is followed by Am . Practise those changes first.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for E major?: 6 strings, from the thick E string down to the thin e. All six ring.
What notes are in a E major chord?: E, G#, B. The E is the root, the note the chord is named after. The G# makes it major.
What chords go with E?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, A and B, and its relative minor, C#m. Songs move between these because they share notes.