The Key of E
This next key is the key of E and the key of E; let's just go over the notes in the key of E first. It's based off of the basis tone scale, which is whole step, whole step, half step and three whole steps and a half step (W-W-H-W-W-W-H). E is also a very very common key to play in. In blues and folk and just about any type of music.
Key of E goes with lots of Stuff!
Remember we're dealing with just the three chords, the 1 the 4 and the 5. The chords that fall in the first slot, the fourth slot and the fifth slot (1-4-5) in the scale. But let's just talk about the notes in the key of E. First of all, let's apply the whole step, whole step, half step pattern right off.
So, E whole step to F sharp, whole step to G sharp, half step to A, whole step to B, whole step to C sharp, and the last one is a whole step to D sharp and then we're going to do a half step back to E and that brings us back to where we started. And it's always good to have a keyboard diagram. And you can get those in the PDF download section open next to this video, just so you can refer to how the keyboard relates and so on and so forth, as well as our other supplemental stuff over there.
So, visually speaking it's good to have sort of a map in front of you while I'm telling you this stuff.
At any rate, let's go over our three chords. The first chord is E major and it's down here (hand gesture) and we know (playing) how to play that, ok.
And then A is here (hand gesture) and remember we're using you're middle, ring and pinkie finger for that (playing) ok.
And then B7 (playing) is the third chord. So, strum the B7 chord carefully to make sure all the strings are coming out and make sure that this string here (hand gesture) that runs between your ring finger, this finger here (hand gesture) and your pinkie finger over here; the string that runs between them is coming out. That's when it usually gets stuck. (playing)
Just go ahead and do a string check and if it's muted out, you'll just hear (playing) and just kind of move your fingers around (playing) till you can hear it come out.
So, let's go ahead and get started. The practice progression is an eight bar progression. We're starting out with E four times, then to A four times. E four times then B four times and then E, A and then B7 and then E. So, we did the flip on the end, remember. Anytime you come up with a four chord progression, the second time through, just flip the last two chords. A little songwriting trick for you there, works every time.
Ok, let's go ahead and get started. Let's look at some pathways too. (playing) Now between E and B7 there's a really good one. The note that underneath your middle finger is the one that's stationary, so E, B7; E, B7 and I can go from E to B7 like this (hand gesture) and you can see that I'm forming the triangle back here. And you're going to see a lot of triangles with 7 chords. There just everywhere. And then, of course, your pinky finger goes on the top; pinky finger, on the top here. (playing) Just don't forget to add that in.
So, E (playing) to B7 (playing) E (playing) to B7 (playing) and do it a couple times without playing anything. Just get used to that transition.
Now let's go from E (playing) to A; and all we're doing is moving these three over (playing) to here. Back to E (playing) to A (playing) back to E (playing) to A (playing) and try to do it a couple times without playing anything. E to A (Pause it if you need to) [shown on screen] and if you need to pause this and do this a few times. I suggest you do this for about thirty seconds.
Just go between the chords and then start to put it together. You know how most of these go together by now anyway, if you watched the videos in the right order. So, you put these in this order, so you can get better, quicker.
So, let's go ahead and start the progression. I'm going to do this at a mediocre pace. If you can't keep up, that's fine. Be sure to download the videos that are in the description of this video to the right of this video. If you click on the link, you'll download a zip file that contains four different mp3 files of this progression played at four different speeds and tempos and you would start at the slowest, of course, and then work your way up.
Ok, here we go. So, let's start with E. (playing) So, if you need to pause the video to get ready, please do. Tune your guitar and so on. My guitar is tuned to A440, so make sure yours is too. And 440 is oscillations per second, which is a little technical term [A440 = Vibrations Per Second Standard Tuning For All Guitars] (on screen) for what all tuners tune by; A440. (playing)
Ok, standard tuning, here we go. No dropped E's. 1,2,3,4 (playing)..... again (playing) and there you have it. That is the key of E.
Keep practicing and don't forget to download the four different ones in the zip file, as well as the PDF that corresponds with this lesson to better understand what I'm talking about. And we'll see you in the next lesson.
Take care.
Key of E goes with lots of Stuff!
Remember we're dealing with just the three chords, the 1 the 4 and the 5. The chords that fall in the first slot, the fourth slot and the fifth slot (1-4-5) in the scale. But let's just talk about the notes in the key of E. First of all, let's apply the whole step, whole step, half step pattern right off.
So, E whole step to F sharp, whole step to G sharp, half step to A, whole step to B, whole step to C sharp, and the last one is a whole step to D sharp and then we're going to do a half step back to E and that brings us back to where we started. And it's always good to have a keyboard diagram. And you can get those in the PDF download section open next to this video, just so you can refer to how the keyboard relates and so on and so forth, as well as our other supplemental stuff over there.
So, visually speaking it's good to have sort of a map in front of you while I'm telling you this stuff.
At any rate, let's go over our three chords. The first chord is E major and it's down here (hand gesture) and we know (playing) how to play that, ok.
And then A is here (hand gesture) and remember we're using you're middle, ring and pinkie finger for that (playing) ok.
And then B7 (playing) is the third chord. So, strum the B7 chord carefully to make sure all the strings are coming out and make sure that this string here (hand gesture) that runs between your ring finger, this finger here (hand gesture) and your pinkie finger over here; the string that runs between them is coming out. That's when it usually gets stuck. (playing)
Just go ahead and do a string check and if it's muted out, you'll just hear (playing) and just kind of move your fingers around (playing) till you can hear it come out.
So, let's go ahead and get started. The practice progression is an eight bar progression. We're starting out with E four times, then to A four times. E four times then B four times and then E, A and then B7 and then E. So, we did the flip on the end, remember. Anytime you come up with a four chord progression, the second time through, just flip the last two chords. A little songwriting trick for you there, works every time.
Ok, let's go ahead and get started. Let's look at some pathways too. (playing) Now between E and B7 there's a really good one. The note that underneath your middle finger is the one that's stationary, so E, B7; E, B7 and I can go from E to B7 like this (hand gesture) and you can see that I'm forming the triangle back here. And you're going to see a lot of triangles with 7 chords. There just everywhere. And then, of course, your pinky finger goes on the top; pinky finger, on the top here. (playing) Just don't forget to add that in.
So, E (playing) to B7 (playing) E (playing) to B7 (playing) and do it a couple times without playing anything. Just get used to that transition.
Now let's go from E (playing) to A; and all we're doing is moving these three over (playing) to here. Back to E (playing) to A (playing) back to E (playing) to A (playing) and try to do it a couple times without playing anything. E to A (Pause it if you need to) [shown on screen] and if you need to pause this and do this a few times. I suggest you do this for about thirty seconds.
Just go between the chords and then start to put it together. You know how most of these go together by now anyway, if you watched the videos in the right order. So, you put these in this order, so you can get better, quicker.
So, let's go ahead and start the progression. I'm going to do this at a mediocre pace. If you can't keep up, that's fine. Be sure to download the videos that are in the description of this video to the right of this video. If you click on the link, you'll download a zip file that contains four different mp3 files of this progression played at four different speeds and tempos and you would start at the slowest, of course, and then work your way up.
Ok, here we go. So, let's start with E. (playing) So, if you need to pause the video to get ready, please do. Tune your guitar and so on. My guitar is tuned to A440, so make sure yours is too. And 440 is oscillations per second, which is a little technical term [A440 = Vibrations Per Second Standard Tuning For All Guitars] (on screen) for what all tuners tune by; A440. (playing)
Ok, standard tuning, here we go. No dropped E's. 1,2,3,4 (playing)..... again (playing) and there you have it. That is the key of E.
Keep practicing and don't forget to download the four different ones in the zip file, as well as the PDF that corresponds with this lesson to better understand what I'm talking about. And we'll see you in the next lesson.
Take care.
