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ii–V–I · E major

ii–V–I in E Major — F♯m7 – B7 – E△7

The ii–V–I in E major is F♯m7 – B7 – E△7. Over F♯m7 play Dorian (F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E); Over B7 play Mixolydian (B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A); Over E△7 play Ionian (major) (E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯). E major is a guitar key — the tonic uses the low open E — but it is rare in horn-band repertoire, which makes it a good ‘weak key’ to fix.

Interactive trainer

Hear it, see it, play it — in E major.

Loop
Lead
Tempo110 bpm
ii⁷
ii
F♯m7
ArpeggioF♯ · A · C♯ · E
Chord-scaleDorian  F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E
V⁷
V
B7
ArpeggioB · D♯ · F♯ · A
Chord-scaleMixolydian  B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A
I△
I
E△7
ArpeggioE · G♯ · B · D♯
Chord-scaleIonian (major)  E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯

Chord-scale on your instrument

Showing: E△7 — Ionian (major)

Piano · F♯m7 with Dorian

C♯D♯F♯G♯C♯D♯F♯G♯EABEAB

Guitar · standard tuning

eBGDAE123456789101112EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EBC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABG♯ABC♯D♯EF♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AEF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E

Piano · B7 with Mixolydian

C♯D♯F♯G♯C♯D♯F♯G♯EABEAB

Guitar · standard tuning

eBGDAE123456789101112EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EBC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABG♯ABC♯D♯EF♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AEF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E

Piano · E△7 with Ionian (major)

C♯D♯F♯G♯C♯D♯F♯G♯EABEAB

Guitar · standard tuning

eBGDAE123456789101112EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EBC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABG♯ABC♯D♯EF♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AEF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E
RootChord toneScale toneBeing played
Play this chord:

Click any chord card to see its scale, and tap any key or fret to hear that note. Turn on “+ Arpeggios” or “+ Scales” and the guitar or piano plays the line live over the vamp, lighting each note on the diagram as it sounds. All audio is synthesized in your browser — nothing is recorded or copyrighted.

Reference

E major ii–V–I — chords, arpeggios & chord-scales.

FunctionChordChord tones (1–3–5–7)Chord-scaleScale notes
ii⁷F♯m7F♯ – A – C♯ – EDorianF♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E
V⁷B7B – D♯ – F♯ – AMixolydianB C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A
I△E△7E – G♯ – B – D♯Ionian (major)E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯
Guide tonesF♯m7B7E△7
3rdAD♯G♯
7thEAD♯

How to practise this

Build the E major cadence into your ear.

1. Arpeggios in time. Loop the vamp at 70–90 bpm and play F♯m7, B7, E△7 as 1–3–5–7 quarter notes, one chord per bar. Use the “+ Arpeggios” loop above to hear it played and copy the line.

2. Guide tones. Play only the 3rd and 7th of each chord: A–E → D♯–A → G♯–D♯. Notice that A, the 7th of B7, falls a half-step to G♯, the 3rd of E△7 — that is the resolution.

3. Chord-scales. Run Dorian on F♯m7, Mixolydian on B7, Ionian (major) on E△7, then improvise keeping chord tones on beats 1 and 3.

4. Move it. When E is clean, go to A major — a fourth up — and keep going around the circle.

Common questions

E major ii–V–I FAQ.

What are the chords of the ii–V–I in E major?

F♯m7 – B7 – E△7. The ii chord is F♯m7 (F♯, A, C♯, E); The V chord is B7 (B, D♯, F♯, A); The I chord is E△7 (E, G♯, B, D♯).

Which scales do I play over F♯m7 – B7 – E△7?

F♯m7: Dorian (F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E). B7: Mixolydian (B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A). E△7: Ionian (major) (E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯).

What is the guide-tone line for the ii–V–I in E major?

The thirds and sevenths: A and E over F♯m7, D♯ and A over B7, G♯ and D♯ over E△7. Each voice moves by a half-step or stays put — that is what makes the progression sound like it resolves.

How should I practise this progression?

Loop the vamp at a slow tempo, play each arpeggio 1–3–5–7 in time, then play each chord-scale up and down, then improvise using only chord tones on the strong beats. When it is clean, move to the next key around the circle of fourths.

All twelve keys

The major ii–V–I in every other key.

CGDAEBG♭D♭A♭E♭B♭F

Same tonic, other quality: C♯ minor (the relative minor). The same key’s I–vi–ii–V turnaround adds the vi chord in front of this cadence. Read the theory in What is a ii–V–I?, or see the scales on their own pages: F♯ Dorian, B Mixolydian, E Major.