E minor scale on guitar
The E minor scale has seven notes: E, F♯, G, A, B, C and D (1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7). The plain minor scale: the minor pentatonic with the 2nd and ♭6 filled in. Sad or serious, and the home of minor-key rock and metal, over changes like Am, F and G.
| Note | E | F♯ | G | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | ♭6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | whole | half | whole | whole | half | whole | whole |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the E minor scale
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; E (Em) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (E) | Emhome | Em7home |
| 2 (F♯) | F♯dimthe edge | F♯m7♭5the edge |
| ♭3 (G) | Gdaylight | Gmaj7daylight |
| 4 (A) | Amsoft fall | Am7soft fall |
| 5 (B) | Bmsoft fall | Bm7soft fall |
| ♭6 (C) | Ccinematic | Cmaj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (D) | Dheroic | D7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
Its relative major is the G major scale: the same notes, started from G.
The chords of this key, to hear and play: chords in the key of E minor.
Questions
What notes are in the E minor scale?
E, F♯, G, A, B, C and D. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are W H W W H W W (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the E minor scale?
The chords made only of its notes: Em, F♯dim, G, Am, Bm, C and D, and as seventh chords Em7, F♯m7♭5, Gmaj7, Am7, Bm7, Cmaj7 and D7. E is home: Em is the chord it sounds most settled over.
What is the relative major of the E minor scale?
The G major scale, which has the same notes started from G.
The minor scale in every key
Other scales in E
E majorE minor pentatonicE major pentatonicE bluesE DorianE MixolydianE LydianE PhrygianE harmonic minorE melodic minorE Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.