Key guide
E minor: scale, key signature and chords
E minor has one sharp (F♯). Its scale is E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D — play the scale and every chord below.
- Key signature
- F♯ — one sharp
- Scale notes
- E F♯ G A B C D
- Relative major
- G major
- Parallel major
- E major
- Dominant key
- B minor
- Subdominant key
- A minor
- On the piano
- 1 black key and 6 white in the scale
The E minor scale
The E minor scale uses the notes E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, the natural minor pattern of whole and half steps (W–H–W–W–H–W–W) starting on E. Each letter name appears once, which is why the accidentals are written as F♯ rather than as their enharmonic equivalents.
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | tonic |
| 2 | F♯ | supertonic |
| 3 | G | mediant |
| 4 | A | subdominant |
| 5 | B | dominant |
| 6 | C | submediant |
| 7 | D | subtonic |
Harmonic and melodic minor in E minor
The natural minor scale above is the form the key signature gives you. Composers alter it to get a stronger pull to the tonic: the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree (E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D♯), and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up (E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D♯). A × means a double sharp.
Chords in E minor
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives seven diatonic triads and seven seventh chords. The Roman numeral gives each chord’s position; the role column says what it usually does in a phrase.
| Chord | Triad | Seventh | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | E G B | E G B D | tonic |
| ii° | F♯ A C | F♯ A C E | predominant |
| III | G B D | G B D F♯ | tonic substitute |
| iv | A C E | A C E G | predominant |
| v | B D F♯ | B D F♯ A | dominant |
| VI | C E G | C E G B | tonic substitute |
| VII | D F♯ A | D F♯ A C | dominant |
In a minor key the v chord from the natural scale is usually replaced in cadences by a major V built with the raised seventh: B D♯ F♯.
Chord progressions in E minor
Four progressions worked out in E minor, each one playable:
- i – VI – III – VII Em – C – G – DA rising-and-falling minor loop that stays inside the natural minor scale.
- i – iv – V – i Em – Am – B – EmThe minor cadence: the V is major, borrowing the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.
- ii° – V – i F♯° – B – EmThe minor ii–V–i: a diminished predominant resolving to the tonic.
- i – VII – VI – V Em – D – C – BThe descending “Andalusian” line, ending on the major dominant.
Keys related to E minor
- Relative major: G major — same key signature, different home note.
- Dominant: B minor — one step clockwise on the circle of fifths; the key most pieces in E minor modulate to.
- Subdominant: A minor — one step counter-clockwise, adding one flat (or removing one sharp).
- Parallel major: E major — same tonic, opposite mode.
Questions
What are the notes in E minor?
The E minor scale is E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D. That is the natural minor form; the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree, and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up.
How many sharps or flats are in E minor?
E minor has one sharp: F♯.
What is the relative major of E minor?
The relative major of E minor is G major. The two keys share a key signature and the same seven notes, but E is the home note of the minor key.
What chords are in E minor?
The seven diatonic triads in E minor are Em, F♯°, G, Am, Bm, C, D. In practice the V chord is usually played as B, using the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.