E Minor Scale
The E minor scale has seven notes: E, F♯, G, A, B, C and D. It has 1 sharp (F♯), and it is the relative minor of G major.
Notes
- E1
- F♯2
- G♭3
- A4
- B5
- C♭6
- D♭7
Step pattern: W – H – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step)
| Degree | Note | Interval from E |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | Root |
| 2 | F♯ | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | G | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | A | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | B | Perfect 5th |
| ♭6 | C | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | D | Minor 7th |
On the piano
On the guitar
Root Scale tone
Key signature
E minor has 1 sharp: F♯. See it on the circle of fifths →
Chords in the key of E minor
| Numeral | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Em7 |
| ii° | F♯dim | F♯m7♭5 |
| III | G | Gmaj7 |
| iv | Am | Am7 |
| v | Bm | Bm7 |
| VI | C | Cmaj7 |
| VII | D | D7 |
Common progressions
- Classic minorEm – Am – Bmi – iv – v
- Epic / pop minorEm – C – G – Di – VI – III – VII
- DescendingEm – D – C – Bmi – VII – VI – v
Related scales
Practise it
- Alternate picking on one stringTechnique · moved down 5 frets into E
- Palm-muted gallopMetal · already in this key
Explore it on the full fretboard · Piano scale explorer · Metronome