E minor scale
The E minor scale is E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E. It has 1 sharp (F♯), its relative major is G major, and the standard piano fingering is 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left hand.
E minor scale notes
The E minor scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E. One of the seven is a black key on the piano (F♯); the other six are white keys.
The step pattern is W H W W H W W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between F♯ and G and B and C.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | E | la | White |
| 2 | Supertonic | F♯ | ti | Black |
| 3 | Mediant | G | do | White |
| 4 | Subdominant | A | re | White |
| 5 | Dominant | B | mi | White |
| 6 | Submediant | C | fa | White |
| 7 | Subtonic | D | sol | White |
Natural, harmonic and melodic E minor
E minor has three common forms. The natural minor follows the key signature. The harmonic minor raises the seventh note to D♯, which makes the chord on the fifth degree major (B) and gives a strong pull back to E. The melodic minor raises both the sixth and seventh notes on the way up (C♯ and D♯) and traditionally plays the natural form on the way down.
| Form | Notes | Changed from natural |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E | Nothing: follows the key signature |
| Harmonic minor | E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D♯, E | 7th raised to D♯ |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D♯, E | 6th and 7th raised to C♯ and D♯ |
E minor key signature
The E minor key signature has 1 sharp: F♯, written at the start of every line. Sharps are always added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. G major shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the sharp, F♯, sits on the fifth line from the bottom.
Shortcut: the last sharp, F♯, is one half step below the major tonic (G); the minor key with the same signature starts three half steps lower, on E.
E minor scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Left hand | E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 |
Right hand going up: G (finger 3) to A (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: B (finger 1) to C (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in E minor
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of E minor. The primary chords are Em (i), Am (iv) and B (V). The natural minor's own fifth chord is Bm (v), but music in E minor usually raises the seventh and uses B (V) instead.
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | E G B | Em7 | E G B D |
| ii° | F♯° | F♯ A C | F♯m7♭5 | F♯ A C E |
| III | G | G B D | Gmaj7 | G B D F♯ |
| iv | Am | A C E | Am7 | A C E G |
| v | Bm | B D F♯ | Bm7 | B D F♯ A |
| VI | C | C E G | Cmaj7 | C E G B |
| VII | D | D F♯ A | D7 | D F♯ A C |
A common minor progression, i iv V i, is Em, Am, B, Em in E minor, using the major V from the harmonic form. The dominant seventh is B7 (B D♯ F♯ A).
Reading E minor on the staff
E minor shares its one sharp, F sharp, with G major. The harmonic form adds D sharp as a raised seventh, so a passage in E minor often shows D sharps written in the music.
On the treble staff, E4 to E5 needs no ledger lines. On the bass staff, E3 to E4 needs 2 ledger lines above the staff. Because of those ledger lines, left hand parts in this key are often written an octave lower, from E2.
The reading trap in E minor is the key signature: the sharps are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (F♯), then check every F on the page.
How to practise the E minor scale
- Say the notes before you play them: E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: Em (E G B), Am (A C E) and B (B D♯ F♯).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills minor scales (natural and harmonic, one octave), triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to E minor
- G major scale: relative major, same key signature
- E major scale: parallel major, same tonic
- B minor scale: a fifth above, 2 sharps
- A minor scale: a fifth below, no sharps or flats
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the E minor scale?
The E minor scale is E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E, then E again an octave higher.
How many sharps are in E minor?
E minor has 1 sharp: F♯.
What is the relative major of E minor?
G major. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on G.
What chords are in E minor?
Em (i), F♯° (ii°), G (III), Am (iv), Bm (v), C (VI), D (VII). With the raised seventh of the harmonic minor, the V chord becomes B.
What is the fingering for the E minor scale on piano?
Right hand 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 going up from E; left hand 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.