Chord · E Major (1st Inversion)
E/3 Chord
E/3 is G#, B and E — major triad with the third in the bass.
E/3 on every instrument
The same 3 notes, 1 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What E/3 is made of
E Major (1st Inversion) (E major (1st inversion)) is built from the notes G#, B, E, with the interval pattern 3, 5, 1. A common major (1st inversion) chord across many styles.
Stack 3, 5 and 1 on a root of E and you get G#, B and E. 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 F/3 sounds like a transposed E/3.
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. That is why this chord is spelled with G♯ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain E/3
All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 8 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on E
Same root, different colour.
The same major first inversion shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about E/3
- What notes are in the E/3 chord?
- E/3 is made of G#, B and E — the 3, 5 and 1 degrees of a major first inversion chord built on E.
- What keys use the E/3 chord?
- Every note of E/3 belongs to 8 keys: A Major (V), E Major (I), B Major (IV), Cb Major (IV), F# Minor (VII), C# Minor (III), G# Minor (VI), Ab Minor (VI). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play E/3 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows E/3 on piano — 1 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why E/3 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.