Ballad For Very Tired And Very Sad Lotus Eaters

Ballad For Very Tired And Very Sad Lotus Eaters 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 E (ascending unison), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to A# (descending half step), A# to A (descending half step), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to C (ascending tritone), C to F# (ascending tritone), F# to E (descending whole step), E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to D (ascending half step), D to F (ascending minor third), F to E (descending half step), E to D# (descending half step), D# to D (descending half step), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to E (ascending major third), E to F (ascending half step), F to G# (ascending minor third), G# to C (ascending major third), C to G (descending perfect fourth), G to E (descending minor third), E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth). 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.