Sail Away

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