Infant Eyes in E

Infant Eyes 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 D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to F# (descending whole step), F# to E (descending whole step), E to A# (ascending tritone), A# to G (descending minor third), G to C# (ascending tritone), C# to E (ascending minor third), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to F (ascending tritone), F to F (ascending unison), F to C (descending perfect fourth), C to A (descending minor third), A to B (ascending whole step). 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 D# by major 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.