E minor runs E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D – E. Natural minor follows whole–half–whole–whole–half–whole–whole steps. The key signature is 1 sharp (F♯). F♯ is a black key; the other 6 scale notes are played on white keys. The last E is the first note again, one octave higher.
E minor notes and fingering
Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger). These are the one-octave ascending fingerings for the natural-minor form, one hand at a time:
| Notes | E | F♯ | G | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Fingering source: LearnMusicTheory.net, “Major and Natural Minor Scales for Piano,” §2.7.
Play slowly until every note has the same length. At a 1 in the middle of the right-hand row, pass the thumb underneath. At a 3 or 4 after left-hand 1, cross that finger over. Descend by reversing the same finger numbers. The altered notes of harmonic and melodic minor may call for a different fingering; this table is for natural minor.
Key signature and relative key
E minor has 1 sharp (F♯). Its relative major is G major. The relative major starts on G, three half steps above E. They share a key signature and the same seven notes.
Natural, harmonic and melodic minor
| Form | Notes ascending | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Natural | E · F♯ · G · A · B · C · D · E | Key-signature notes |
| Harmonic | E · F♯ · G · A · B · C · D♯ · E | Raise scale degree 7 |
| Melodic | E · F♯ · G · A · B · C♯ · D♯ · E | Raise degrees 6 and 7 going up |
In classical practice, melodic minor usually comes down with the natural-minor notes: E · D · C · B · A · G · F♯ · E. The keyboard's Play up and down button follows that convention when you select melodic minor.
The seven chords in E minor
Stack every other scale note to make three-note chords. The Roman numeral tells you which degree supplies the root; upper-case numerals are major, lower-case are minor, and ° means diminished.
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | Em | E · G · B |
| ii° | F♯dim | F♯ · A · C |
| III | G | G · B · D |
| iv | Am | A · C · E |
| v | Bm | B · D · F♯ |
| VI | C | C · E · G |
| VII | D | D · F♯ · A |
The v chord here comes from natural minor. Raising degree 7 for harmonic minor changes it to a major V, B.
Progressions to try
- i – iv – v – i: Em – Am – Bm – Em. These chords use only the natural-minor notes above.
- i – V – i: Em – B – Em. The V chord uses the raised 7th from harmonic minor, giving a stronger pull back to i.
Play the scale up and down, then try each progression without leaving the key. Start one hand at a time, and use the highlighted keyboard above to check any note. The scale finder and piano chord finder let you compare other keys.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the E minor scale?
E minor is E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E. Its key signature is 1 sharp (F♯).
What fingers play the E minor scale?
Ascending one octave, right hand: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5; left hand: 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1. Reverse the order to descend. These fingerings are for natural minor.
What is the relative major of E minor?
G major. The keys share 1 sharp (F♯) and the same seven notes.