E chord to a beginner guitarist is what ABCD is to a child learning English; It’s one of the foremost chords you need to learn in order to kickstart your guitar journey.
And it is popular too! the E chord has been used in numerous songs across many genres like pop, folk, rock, and country music.
Now if you’re wondering,
Why is the E chord so popular?
Well, it is because of 2 basic reasons- a. it is simple to play and b. it sounds great.
Back to the burning question,
How do you play the E Chord a.k.a the E major chord on Guitar?
Follow these 3 easy steps and you will be playing the E chord in less than 10 seconds:
Step 1: Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the 3rd string, G
Step 2: Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th string, A
Step 3: Place your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string, D
Once you have done this, all you need to do is play all the six strings together and Voila! You now are one chord ahead in your guitar journey.
Remember, you are allowed to be creative and can experiment with different strumming patterns as well, but for now, we recommend focusing on making a clean sound by strumming all the strings together.
Few things to keep in mind while playing the E chord on Guitar
Fingertips: Use the tips of your fingers, not the pads, to press down on the strings firmly for a clean sound. If not pressed correctly, you might hear a buzzing or muted sound.
Arch your fingers: Avoid laying your fingers flat. Instead, arch them slightly for better pressure and sound clarity. This is will also help you avoid accidentally pressing the other strings.
Thumb placement: Place your thumb on the back of the guitar neck for support, ideally behind the middle of the fretboard. This will help you with the grip you need to play smoothly.
Here are some popular songs that use E chord
Now that you have mastered the E chord, here a few famous songs that you can try,
Indian Songs
a) Roja Janeman by A.R. Rahman (Em, E, B, A)
And if you also know how to play the A chord, you can play,
b) Yaaron by the legendary KK with just two chords (A, E)
Western songs
a) Fast Car by Tracy L Chapman (D, A, F#m7, E, D9, F#m)
b) Perfect by Ed Sheeran (G, E, C, D)
c) Wonderwall by Oasis (E, G, D, A7)