Twelfth Street Rag in E

Euday L. Bowman()swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
E/D
A/C♯
E/B

Chord Diagrams — Twelfth Street Rag in E (Guitar)

Display
FingerNoteDegree
B7
EADGBEx2134
EADGBE1111344frEADGBE111xx27frEADGBE111132
E
EADGBE231
2frEADGBExx12434frEADGBE1114327frEADGBE111234
F♯7
EADGBE111132
4frEADGBE11x3247frEADGBEx3241x9frEADGBE111134
E/D
EADGBE231
2frEADGBExx12434frEADGBE1114327frEADGBE111234
A/C♯
EADGBEx234
2frEADGBE111x45frEADGBE1113427frEADGBEx1243
C7
EADGBEx3241
3frEADGBE1111345frEADGBE111xx28frEADGBE111132
E/B
7frEADGBE111234
EADGBE2312frEADGBExx12434frEADGBE111432

Twelfth Street Rag 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 B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to E (descending whole step), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to C (ascending minor third), C to E (ascending major third). 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 B by perfect fourth.

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 · 36 bars · Form: A

Chords: B7, E, F♯7, E/D, A/C♯, C7, E/B.

Scales for Improvisation E bebop, E bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of E