E major

E major

Relative key	C♯minor
Parallel key	E minor
Dominant key	B major
Subdominant	A major, D major, G major, C major, F major
Notes in this scale
E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E

E major is a major scale with a base note of E. Its key signature has four sharps. It has the pitches of E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, and E. Its relative minor is C-sharp minor and its parallel minor is E minor.

E major is hard for wind instruments to play. A violin is fit for playing in E major, because two of the open strings are A and E, the tonic and subdominant notes of this scale. Other orchestral string instruments can play well in E major, as can a guitar. When writing in E major, clarinets in A are easier to play than clarinets in B-flat. This is because clarinets are transposing instruments.

Symphonies in E major are quite rare, but the key is often used for concertos. One of them is Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto.

Ascending and descending E-major scale.

The bells of the Clock Tower in London's Palace of Westminster are tuned to the key of E major.