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A Ballad 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 F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to F (ascending major third), F 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 A# (descending minor third), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to C# (descending whole step), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to D# (descending minor third), D# to B (descending major third), B to A (descending whole step), A to C# (ascending major third), C# to A (descending major third), A to G (descending whole step), G to A (ascending whole step), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to B (descending minor third), B to A# (descending half step), A# to D (ascending major third), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to G (ascending unison), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to C (descending perfect fourth), C to C# (ascending half step), C# to C (descending half step), C to C (ascending unison), C to C# (ascending half step), C# to D (ascending half step), D to D# (ascending half step), D# to E (ascending half step). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. 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 F# by whole step.
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.