You Don't Know What Love Is in E

Gene de Paul / Don Raye(1941)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B

Chord Diagrams — You Don't Know What Love Is in E (Guitar)

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You Don't Know What Love Is 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 E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to C (ascending half step), C to C (ascending unison), C to F# (ascending tritone), F# to C# (descending perfect fourth), C# to D (ascending half step), D to D# (ascending half step), D# to E (ascending half step), E to D (descending whole step), D to A (descending perfect fourth), A to G (descending whole step), G to F# (descending half step), F# to C# (descending perfect fourth), C# to B (descending whole step). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from B to E 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 · 27 bars · Form: AB

Chords: Em7, B7♭9, C7, C9, F♯m7♭5, C♯7, Dm7, D♯7, Em6, D7, Am7, GMaj7, F♯7, C♯m7, BMaj7.

Scales for Improvisation E bebop minor, E bebop.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of E