The key in E major is one of the most comfortable for the pianist. The hand on the keyboard is natural and free. But as for reading notes, here a beginner may have some difficulties, because there are quite a lot of key signs in E major.
Build a gamut
To memorize the number of characters, it is best to build a scale yourself. Any major scale is built according to the same scheme of alternating tones and semitones. The scale consists of two groups, in the lower part of it there are two tones and a semitone, in the upper part there are three tones and a semitone. Having built a major scale from the sound "E" according to this scheme, you will get the following scale: E, F-sharp, G-sharp, A, B, C-sharp, D-sharp, E. That is, there are four sharps in this key.
Sharp order of appearance
If you have a chart of scales, chords and arpeggios at hand, you probably noticed that the scales are arranged in a certain order. The table begins with the key in C major, then scales follow with one sharp or flat, that is, G major and F major, then with two key signs, etc. Note that key characters appear in a specific order. The first is F sharp. This is the seventh step in G major. To determine which sign will be the next, it is enough to build a clean fifth up from the sound "F-sharp". You will get a C sharp. It is not difficult to determine the tonality in which this sign appeared. This is the seventh step, between it and the first step of the given scale there must be a semitone, that is, the desired key is D major. The next sharp is located through the ascending clean fifth, that is, G sharp, and the key in which it first appears will be in A major. Thinking further, you can determine which sound is the seventh degree in E major. From the sound "mi" you need to postpone semitone down. This will be a re-sharp.
Place in E major in the quarter-fifth circle
Learn to use the quarto-fifth circle. This is an ordinary circle, divided into 12 equal parts. The first key is in C major. Sharp keys are on the right, flat keys are on the left. Each next key has one more character. The next sharp key is determined by constructing an ascending clean fifth, flat - a descending one. By constructing a tonic triad from the "C" sound, you will get the name of the next sharp key - G major. The next key is D major, then A major and finally the E major you want.
E major triad
Find the third and fifth degree in E major. To do this, construct a large third from the sound "mi". You will get a G-sharp sound. The fifth step is at a distance of one and a half tones from the third, that is, it is the sound "si". Thus, the tonic triad in E major consists of the sounds "E", "G sharp", "B".
