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