The E Minor scale is a 7 note scale that uses the following notes:
E, F#, G, A, B, C, D
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (1) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (1)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-with-note-letters-1024x257.png)
The scale is usually written as starting and ending on E and it can be repeating at higher or lower octaves. E Minor is a diatonic scale, which means that it is in a key, in this case the key of E Minor!
Table of Contents
The Natural Minor Scale
There are three types of minor scale: the natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor. In this post we will stick to E Natural Minor Scale, but you learn aboutE Harmonic MinorandE Melodic Minorin our other articles.
How is the E Natural Minor scale created?
All Natural Minor scales follow a specific pattern of tones and semitones (steps and half steps). The tone pattern is:
Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone
If we take the start at a C and follow the pattern we will get the C Natural Minor Scale. To create the E Natural Minor scale, follow the tone/semitone pattern starting on the note E.
Whichever note you start on, you will always achieve the minor scale starting on this note.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (2) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (2)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/e-matural-minor-in-treble-clef-with-tone-and-seimtones-labelled-1024x277.png)
E Minor Scale on the Piano
As you can see, if we were to play this scale on the piano diagram we only use the white keys.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (3) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (3)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-on-piano-1024x263.png)
To play this scale on the piano use the fingers written below.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (4) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (4)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-piano-fingering-1024x263.png)
E Minor Scale on the Guitar
To play the E Natural Minor scale on the guitar use the tab below.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (5) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (5)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-natural-minor-guitar-tabs-with-key-signature-1024x454.png)
Degrees of the Scale: E Minor
Each note in the E Minor scale has a position that we call the degree of the scale. The first note of the scale is called the ‘tonic’ note.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (6) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (6)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-nautral-minor-with-degress-of-the-scale-naming-and-f-1024x204.png)
Key Signature for E Minor
Rather than writing the sharp signs on the individual notes, we can now make use of the key signature. E Minor is the relative minor of G Major. You can work this out because E is the sixth note of G Major.
This means that they both share the same key signature, which has one sharp, F#.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (7) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (7)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-Key-Signature.png)
Here is the full scale written out with the key signature.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (8) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (8)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-Treble-Clef-Key-Signature-1024x166.png)
E Minor Scale in Different Clefs
Treble Clef
Below is the E Natural Minor Scale written out in the treble clef, both ascending and descending.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (9) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (9)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-Treble-Clef-Ascending-and-Descending-1024x371.png)
Bass Clef
Below is the E Natural Minor Scale written out in the bass clef, both ascending and descending.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (10) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (10)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-Bass-Clef-Ascending-and-Descending-1024x363.png)
Alto Clef
Below is the E Natural Minor Scale written out in the alto clef, both ascending and descending.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (11) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (11)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-Alto-Clef-Ascending-and-Descending-1024x341.png)
Tenor Clef
Below is the E Natural Minor Scale written out in the tenor clef, both ascending and descending.
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (12) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (12)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-Tenor-Clef-Ascending-and-Descending-1024x334.png)
What is the Relative Major of E Minor
![The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (13) The E Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (13)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/E-Natural-Minor-Scale-and-G-Major-Highlighted-Circle-of-Fifths-941x1024.png)
As you can see from the circle of fifths diagram E Minor is the relative minor of G Major. Or to say it another way: G Major is the relative major of E Minor. This means that G Major and E Minor share the same key signature and have one sharp, F#.
This means that both scales are identical except for the fact that E Minor starts on an ‘E’ and G Major starts on a ‘G’.
What are the chords in the E Minor scale?
There are chords starting on each note of the E Minor Scale. To learn more, see our dedicated post onE Minor Chords.
What do we mean when we say a piece is ‘in the key of A Minor’?
If we say that a piece of music is in the key of E Minor, this means a few things:
- The key signature will have one sharp (F#) and the relative major is G major.
- The tonic (or root note) of the piece will be E natural. This note will sound the most stable in the whole piece.
- The piece will mostly use notes from this scale, these could be in any octave.
- The chords used will be those chords that are in E Minor.
What’s next….
- Learn more about the different types of minor scales with our complete guide.
- Learn about the circle of fifths and how it can help you better understand music theory.