Scale reference
E minor scale
E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D
The E minor scale runs E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D and then back to E. It follows the natural minor step pattern — tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone — which is what makes it minor rather than any other kind of scale.
It uses each letter name once, which is why it is written with 1 sharp.
The notes
The step pattern
Every minor scale uses the same sequence of steps. Change the starting note and the pattern is what you keep.
- E1tone
- F♯2semi
- G3tone
- A4tone
- B5semi
- C6tone
- D7tone
- E8
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Name | Interval from E | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | Tonic | Perfect unison | 0 |
| 2 | F♯ | Supertonic | Major second | 2 |
| 3 | G | Mediant | Minor third | 3 |
| 4 | A | Subdominant | Perfect fourth | 5 |
| 5 | B | Dominant | Perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | C | Submediant | Minor sixth | 8 |
| 7 | D | Subtonic | Minor seventh | 10 |
The other two minor forms
Minor comes in three forms. They share the first five notes and differ near the top.
| Form | Notes | Why it exists |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D | The plain form, matching the key signature. |
| Harmonic minor | E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D♯ | Raises the seventh degree, restoring the leading tone. |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | E – F♯ – G – A – B – C♯ – D♯ | Raises the sixth as well, smoothing the step-and-a-half gap. |
A piece in E minor will move between all three depending on what the harmony needs at that moment. See minor scales for how they are chosen.
Key signature
E minor is the scale of the key of E minor, which has 1 sharp. The key page lists the seven chords built on these notes.