If I Should Lose You in E

Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin(1936)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
E/G♯
B13
F♯m/E
E/G♯
B13
E/G♯
F♯m11
B7sus4

Chord Diagrams — If I Should Lose You in E (Guitar)

Display
FingerNoteDegree

If I Should Lose You 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 G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to E (ascending minor third), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to B (ascending whole step), B to A (descending whole step), A to E (descending perfect fourth), E to F# (ascending whole step), 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 F# (ascending unison), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to D# (descending minor third), D# to A (ascending tritone), A to G (descending whole step), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to F# (ascending tritone), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (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 B to G# by minor third.

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.

swing4/4 · 33 bars · Form: A

Chords: G♯7, C♯m, E7, AMaj7, Bm7, A6, E/G♯, F♯m9, B13, Edim, E, F♯9, F♯m7, F♯m/E, D♯m7♭5, A, Gdim, Cdim, F♯m11, B7sus4, B9.

Scales for Improvisation E bebop, E bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of E