# E Minor piano chord (Em)

Em contains E, G and B. A minor third with a perfect fifth above the root. Every note is a white key.

- Canonical page: https://piano.org/chords/minor/e/
- Entity: chord:minor:e
- Notes: E G B
- Formula: 1 ♭3 5
- Intervals from root: P1, m3, P5
- Interval stack (semitones): 3 4
- Also written: Em, Em, E minor
- Parameters: A440, 12-TET, 165 mm octave, spans centre to centre

## Construction

| Degree | Note | Interval from root | Semitones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | E | Perfect unison | 0 |
| ♭3 | G | Minor third | 3 |
| 5 | B | Perfect fifth | 7 |

## Fingering

Rest your right hand over the notes with finger 1 on E, finger 3 on G, finger 5 on B. The left hand mirrors it.
Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. Source: piano.org fingering method v1.

## Inversions

| Position | Bass | Notes in order | Figured bass | Span |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Root position | E | E3 G3 B3 | 5/3 | 7 st, 96 mm |
| First inversion (Em/G) | G | G3 B3 E4 | 6/3 | 9 st, 124 mm |
| Second inversion (Em/B) | B | B3 E4 G4 | 6/4 | 8 st, 110 mm |

## Voicings (5)

| Voicing | Notes | Span | Relation | Omits or adds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Close, root position | E3 G3 B3 | 7 st, 96 mm | identical | none |
| Close, first inversion | G3 B3 E4 | 9 st, 124 mm | identical | none |
| Close, second inversion | B3 E4 G4 | 8 st, 110 mm | identical | none |
| Open, fifth on top | E2 B2 G3 | 15 st, 206 mm | identical | none |
| Root and third only | E3 G3 | 3 st, 41 mm | subset | omits B |

## Diatonic function by key

| Key | Roman numeral | Function |
| --- | --- | --- |
| C major | iii | Tonic substitute |
| D major | ii | Predominant |
| E minor | i | Tonic, home |
| G major | vi | Tonic substitute |
| A minor | v | Minor dominant |
| B minor | iv | Subdominant |

Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.

## Progressions (8)

| Progression | Key | Role | Sequence | Voice leading |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| iii, vi, ii, V | C major | iii | Em to Am to Dm to G | Em opens the phrase |
| I, iii | C major | iii | C to Em | 2 tones held from C |
| ii, V, I | D major | ii | Em to A to D | Em opens the phrase |
| ii°, v, i | E minor | i | F♯dim to Bm to Em | 1 tone held from Bm |
| iv, i | E minor | i | Am to Em | 1 tone held from Am |
| i, ♭VI, ii°, v | E minor | i | Em to C to F♯dim to Bm | Em opens the phrase |
| vi, IV, I, V | G major | vi | Em to C to G to D | Em opens the phrase |
| I, vi | G major | vi | G to Em | 2 tones held from G |

## One-edit neighbors

| Becomes | Edit | Changes | Common tones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Em7 | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 | adds D | 3 |
| EmMaj7 | 1 ♭3 5 7 | adds D♯ | 3 |
| Em6 | 1 ♭3 5 6 | adds C♯ | 3 |
| E | 1 3 5 | G becomes G♯ | 2 |
| Edim | 1 ♭3 ♭5 | B becomes B♭ | 2 |
| Esus2 | 1 2 5 | G becomes F♯ | 2 |
| Esus4 | 1 4 5 | G becomes A | 2 |
| Emaj7 | 1 3 5 7 | G becomes G♯, D♯ | 2 |
| E7 | 1 3 5 ♭7 | G becomes G♯, D | 2 |
| Em7♭5 | 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 | B becomes B♭, D | 2 |
| Edim7 | 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7 | B becomes B♭, D♭ | 2 |
| E7sus4 | 1 4 5 ♭7 | G becomes A, D | 2 |

## Set theory

- Absolute pitch classes: {4, 7, 11}
- Relative pitch classes: [0, 3, 7]
- Normal order: [4, 7, 11]
- Prime form: (037)
- Forte number: 3-11
- Interval vector: <001110>

## Frequencies (close root position)

| Note | MIDI | Frequency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| E3 | 52 | 164.81 Hz |
| G3 | 55 | 196.00 Hz |
| B3 | 59 | 246.94 Hz |

## Questions and answers

### What notes are in Em?

Em contains E, G and B. The formula is 1, ♭3, 5.

### How do you play Em on piano?

Play E, G and B together. Right hand fingers 1, 3, 5; left hand 5, 3, 1. Every note is a white key.

### What are the inversions of Em?

3 positions: root position E G B, Em/G, Em/B.

### What keys contain Em?

6: iii in C major, ii in D major, i in E minor, vi in G major, v in A minor, iv in B minor.

### What is the difference between Em and Em7?

Adds D. 3 of the notes are shared.

### What is an easy Em for small hands?

The root and third only voicing, E3 G3, spans 3 semitones or about 41 mm.

### What are the frequencies of Em?

From E3 at A440 in 12-TET: 164.81, 196.00, 246.94 Hz.

### What is the set class of Em?

Prime form (037), Forte 3-11, interval vector &lt;001110&gt;.

### How do I transpose Em to another key?

Keep the 1, ♭3, 5 formula on the new root. Cm is C, E♭, G; C♯m is C♯, E, G♯.

## Provenance

Every derived value above is computed by the piano.org theory kernel from the root, the quality and the stated parameters. Nothing is hand-entered per chord.

Machine record: https://piano.org/api/knowledge/v1/entities/chord:minor:e
Last reviewed: 2026-08-12