Setembro

Setembro in E

Key of E

E major is arguably guitar's most powerful key. The open low E and high E strings ring sympathetically as the root, while the open B provides the fifth. This triple reinforcement gives E-based riffs and chords unmatched depth and volume. E is a beginner-level key on guitar because both the low E and high E strings ring as the root, and the open B is the fifth — three open strings reinforce the tonic chord. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to C# (ascending whole step), C# to C# (ascending unison), C# to A (descending major third), A to E (descending perfect fourth), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to D# (descending minor third), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to G# (descending perfect fourth), G# to A# (ascending whole step), A# to A# (ascending unison), A# to C (ascending whole step), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to F (descending perfect fourth), F to G (ascending whole step), G to G (ascending unison), G to A (ascending whole step), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to B (ascending major third), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to C (ascending unison), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to F (ascending unison), F to D (descending minor third), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C# (ascending tritone), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to E (ascending unison). The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from E to E by unison.

Scales for Improvisation

E major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, E Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.