E7♯5
Character: restless
- ERtriad
- G♯3triad
- B♯♯5triad
- D♭7add
8 ways to play E7♯5
Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.
- Triad note
- Substitute
- Added
- Anchored root
- Bass
- Doubling
Frets 0 7 6 5 3 0Notes E G♯ B♯ DIntervals 1 3 ♯5 ♭7Base triadE augmented, root position
The ♭7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 5 6 5 5 xNotes D G♯ B♯ EIntervals ♭7 3 ♯5 1Base triadE augmented, 1st inversion
The ♭7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 8 7 6 7 9 0Notes B♯ E G♯ DIntervals ♯5 1 3 ♭7Base triadE augmented, 2nd inversion
The ♭7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 0 11 10 9 9 10Notes B♯ E G♯ DIntervals ♯5 1 3 ♭7Base triadE augmented, 2nd inversion
The ♭7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 10 11 10 9 x xNotes D G♯ B♯ EIntervals ♭7 3 ♯5 1Base triadE augmented, 1st inversion
The ♭7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x 0 1 1 0Notes D G♯ B♯ EIntervals ♭7 3 ♯5 1Base triadE augmented, 1st inversion
The ♭7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 0 3 2 1 3 0Notes B♯ E G♯ DIntervals ♯5 1 3 ♭7Base triadE augmented, 2nd inversion
The ♭7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 0 3 0 1 1 0Notes E B♯ D G♯Intervals 1 ♯5 ♭7 3Base triadE augmented, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The ♭7th takes the root’s string.
The construction rules E7♯5 follows
Start from a triad
Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.
A third on top makes a 7th chord
A major 7th over a major triad is maj7, a ♭7 is a dominant 7. Over minor you get m7 or m(maj7); over diminished, m7♭5 or the °7, whose 7th is lowered twice.
On guitar, something has to give
Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.
The root can move down
When an extension needs the root’s string, the root can drop to the string below the triad: an anchored voicing keeps the bass and frees a string on top.
Alter a dominant for tension
Raise or lower the 5th or the 9th, or add a ♯11 or ♭13, and a dominant 7th pulls harder towards the next chord: G7♯9, G7♭9, G7♭13.
All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.
Dominant 7th ♯5 in every key
More chords on E
E7♯5 chord questions
What notes are in E7♯5?
E7♯5 is spelled E G♯ B♯ D: E is the root, G♯ is the 3rd, B♯ is the ♯5th, D is the ♭7th.
What is the formula of E7♯5?
1 3 ♯5 ♭7. It is a E augmented triad with the ♭7th stacked on top.
How many ways can you play E7♯5 on guitar?
This page shows 8 voicings of E7♯5, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.