E7♯5

E Dominant 7th Sharp 5 — the augmented dominant — the raised fifth leans hard into the resolution a fifth below.

The keys
C4C5C6
E – G♯ – B♯ – D
What's inside E7♯5
NoteInterval from rootDegree
ERoot1
G♯Major 3rd3
B♯Augmented 5th#5
DMinor 7thb7
Inversions
PositionKeys (low → high)
Root positionE4 – A♭4 – C5 – D5
1st inversionA♭4 – C5 – D5 – E5
2nd inversionC5 – D5 – E5 – A♭5
3rd inversionD5 – E5 – A♭5 – C6
A working voicing

Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:

HandKeys
Left (shell)E2 – D3
Right (colour)A♭4 – C5
Where E7♯5 lives

Hard resolution

E7♯5 → Am9

Altered dominants resolve with maximum drama — especially into minor.

Chromatic approach

Bm7 → E7♯5 → A

The alteration sharpens the pull of the standard two-five.

Put E7♯5 under your fingers

Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.

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