Minor key guide
E minor scale, chords, and progressions
Learn the E natural, harmonic, and melodic minor scales, the F♯ key signature, and a playable Em–D–C–D loop.
Key at a glance
1 sharp: F♯
E natural minor shares one sharp with G major. Its open position on many instruments and its simple natural-minor chords make the tonal center easy to establish.
- Tonic
- E
- Key signature
- 1 sharp: F♯
- Relative key
- G major
01
Play the E minor scale
E minor pairs a familiar one-sharp signature with the minor-scale system. Raising D to D♯ in harmonic minor clearly shows how a major B dominant points home.
E minor scale
Listen from the tonic to the octave, or press one note at a time.
Sound loads when you first play.
02
Three forms of E minor
Minor keys often change scale degrees 6 and 7 to create stronger melodic or harmonic movement.
Natural minor
E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D
The key signature form and the source of the diatonic chord table below.
Harmonic minor
E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D♯
The raised seventh creates B, a major dominant that pulls back to E minor.
Melodic minor, ascending
E – F♯ – G – A – B – C♯ – D♯
The sixth and seventh rise in the ascending form. Classical descending melodic minor normally returns to natural minor.
03
Diatonic chords in E minor
Build a chord on every scale degree using only notes from the scale.
| Degree | Triad | 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 |
04
Descending minor loop: i–♭VII–♭VI–♭VII
Use D natural for a modal, open loop, then use D♯ inside B major when the harmony needs a stronger return to Em.
Em – D – C – D
i–♭VII–♭VI–♭VII in E minor.
Sound loads when you first play.
A short practice plan
- Alternate E natural minor with G major to compare their different resting notes.
- Play Bm and B major before Em and listen for the stronger D♯–E resolution.
- Keep E as a repeated top note while changing the chords underneath.