Chord · C/E
C/E Chord
C/E is E, G and C — major triad with the third in the bass.
C/E on every instrument
The same 3 notes, 2 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What C/E is made of
C/E (C major first inversion) is built from the notes E, G, C, with the interval pattern 3, 5, 1.
Stack 3, 5 and 1 on a root of C and you get E, G and C. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major first inversion chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why E/3 sounds like a transposed C/E.
Major (1st Inversion): Major triad with the third in the bass.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. Every tone here lands on its own letter — no accidentals needed.
Keys that contain C/E
All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 6 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on C
Same root, different colour.
The same major first inversion shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about C/E
- What notes are in the C/E chord?
- C/E is made of E, G and C — the 3, 5 and 1 degrees of a major first inversion chord built on C.
- What keys use the C/E chord?
- Every note of C/E belongs to 6 keys: C Major (I), F Major (V), G Major (IV), A Minor (III), D Minor (VII), E Minor (VI). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play C/E on guitar and piano?
- This page shows C/E on guitar and piano — 3 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
- Is C/E the same as C/3?
- Yes. C/E and C/3 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; C/E is the spelling this site treats as canonical.
Learn the theory behind it
Why C/E behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.