Minor
E Natural Minor Scale on Piano
E natural minor is the relative minor of G major and shares its single sharp, F#. Extremely common in rock, metal, and folk guitar — the open low E on a guitar makes it a natural fit — and it shows up constantly in piano accompaniment patterns.
Notes of the E Minor Scale
| Degree | Note | Interval from root |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | Root |
| 2 | F# | Major 2nd |
| 3 | G | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | A | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | B | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | C | Minor 6th |
| 7 | D | Minor 7th |
| 8 | E | Octave |
W-H-W-W-H-W-WW · H · W · W · H · W · WThe minor pattern starting on E, with F# replacing F to preserve whole and half step positions.
E Minor on the Staff
One octave ascending in treble clef with the key signature of E minor (1 sharp: F#).
Fingering
- 1E
- 2F#
- 3G
- 1A
- 2B
- 3C
- 4D
- 5E
- 5E
- 4F#
- 3G
- 2A
- 1B
- 3C
- 2D
- 1E
Numbers indicate fingers: 1 = thumb, 2 = index, 3 = middle, 4 = ring, 5 = little. Both rows are shown in ascending order (low note to high note). Note the left hand starts on the pinky (5) at the lowest note and crosses the middle finger over the thumb to continue upward — that is why the left-hand numbers count down before cycling again.
Diatonic Chords in E Minor
The seven triads built on each scale degree — the harmonic backbone of any piece written in this key.
Where You Hear This Scale
E minor has a brooding, driving quality that pairs well with riff-based writing; it is the home key of a huge number of rock standards and the starting point for many film score cues. On piano it introduces the F# one step away from the tonic, giving the hand an easy way to practice crossing between white and black keys.
Train Your Ear to Recognize This Scale
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