Chord · E Major (2nd Inversion)
E/5 Chord
E/5 is B, E and G# — major triad with the fifth in the bass.
E/5 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/5 is made of
E Major (2nd Inversion) (E major (2nd inversion)) is built from the notes B, E, G#, with the interval pattern 5, 1, 3. A common major (2nd inversion) chord across many styles.
Stack 5, 1 and 3 on a root of E and you get B, E and G#. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major second inversion chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C/5 sounds like a transposed E/5.
Major (2nd Inversion): Major triad with the fifth 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/5
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 second inversion shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about E/5
- What notes are in the E/5 chord?
- E/5 is made of B, E and G# — the 5, 1 and 3 degrees of a major second inversion chord built on E.
- What keys use the E/5 chord?
- Every note of E/5 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/5 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows E/5 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/5 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.