Banjo E chord (Open G)E major on the 5-string banjo: 2 1 0 2, and 1 more shape

E chord chart for 5-string banjo in Open G tuning: 2 1 0 2, open position, with the short 5th string marked
E (E major) on the 5-string banjo, Open G: 2 1 0 2, string 4 to string 1. Fingers are numbered on the dots; copper marks the root; the green ring on the left is the 5th string, solid when it’s in the chord.

Frets, string 4 to string 1: 2 1 0 2 (open position)

  1. String 4 (D): 2nd fret, middle finger, E
  2. String 3 (G): 1st fret, index finger, G♯
  3. String 2 (B): open, B
  4. String 1 (D): 2nd fret, ring finger, E
  5. String 5, the short g: open, G, not in the chord

Sounds: E G♯ B E  ·  E is E, G♯, B (1 · 3 · 5)

Found in: A major (V), B major (IV), B mixolydian (IV), B dorian (IV), E major (I), E mixolydian (I)

The 5th string: the short g rubs against the G♯ in this shape, a semitone away: some players let it ring, some skip it.

Up the neck: D shape: 6 4 5 6 (4fr); Barre shape: 9 9 9 9 (9fr); F shape: 14 13 12 14 (12fr). Slide a shape up or down to play another chord of its kind.

Open G tuning: gDGBD, the short 5th string first, then strings 4 to 1.

Hear it in the app ›

The app starts in open G, so it opens on these shapes.

More E shapes

  1. 6fr142gG♯EBG♯6 9 0 6
    6fr

Other E chords in Open G

EEmE7Em7Emaj7E6Esus4Esus2EdimEaug

Other major chords

GADCBEFB♭E♭F♯C♯A♭

E in other tunings

Double CSawmillOpen DC Tuning

All Open G banjo chords · Printable chart (PDF) · How to tune · The app