E Minor
Notes:E – G – B
Fingerings1 – 3 – 5
Formula:R-m3-P5
Intervals:P1-m3-P5
Scale Degrees:1-b3-5
Introduction
The E minor piano chord is a minor triad built on E and consists of three notes: E, G, and B. It comes from the E Minor scale (E, F#, G, A, B, C, and D) and is formed using the 1st, 3rd, and 5th scale degrees. The E Minor chord contains one sharp. Like all minor chords, it has a darker, more introspective sound created by the interval structure of a minor third (3 semitones) and a perfect fifth (7 semitones) above the root.
Notes
How to Play the E Minor
Right Hand (RH)
Place your right hand over the keys and use the fingering: 1 – 3 – 5
Left Hand (LH)
For the left hand, use the fingering: 5 – 3 – 1
E Minor Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | E4 – G4 – B4 |
| 1st Inversion | G4 – B4 – E5 |
| 2nd Inversion | B4 – E5 – G5 |
Key Signature
The key of E Minor has 1 sharp: F♯.
F♯
Theory: Intervals
Formula: R-m3-P5
Intervals: P1-m3-P5
The E Minor is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula R-m3-P5 describes the scale degrees used. The intervals P1-m3-P5 show the distance between each note in the chord.
E Minor — Frequently Asked Questions
What notes make up the E Minor chord?
E Minor contains three notes: E (root), G (minor third), and B (perfect fifth). All three are white keys, making E Minor one of the most accessible minor chords on the piano.
What fingering do I use for E Minor?
Right hand: finger 1 on E, finger 3 on G, finger 5 on B. Left hand: finger 5 on E, finger 3 on G, finger 1 on B. Like D Minor, the all-white-key layout is comfortable and symmetrical.
What are the inversions of E Minor?
First inversion (Em/G): G–B–E. Second inversion (Em/B): B–E–G. Em/G is common in pop and rock — it creates a smooth bass movement from G to E, often heard in descending bass line progressions.
What songs use the E Minor chord?
E Minor is ubiquitous in rock and folk. It appears in House of the Rising Sun (Animals), Nothing Else Matters (Metallica), and as the vi chord in G Major — meaning it appears in virtually every G Major song including Let It Be and Country Roads.
What chords pair well with E Minor?
In E Minor: C Major (VI), G Major (III), D Major (VII), B Major (V). Em–C–G–D is one of the most used four-chord sequences in rock. Em–Am–D–G is another classic minor-to-major movement. Em also pairs naturally with Am as the vi and ii chords in G Major.
What is the relationship between E Minor and G Major?
E Minor is the relative minor of G Major — both share the same key signature (one sharp, F#). This means every chord in G Major has a corresponding role in E Minor: G Major becomes the III chord, C Major becomes VI, D Major becomes VII, and Em itself is the tonic (I) chord.
Practice Tips
- Compare Em and E Major (E–G–B vs E–G#–B) — G vs G# is the only difference, but the mood shift is dramatic.
- Practice Em → C → G → D as a loop — this four-chord progression appears in thousands of rock and pop songs.
- Work through Em inversions: E–G–B (root), G–B–E (1st), B–E–G (2nd) — all white keys make this approachable.
- Play Em followed immediately by Am — these two chords share no notes but move smoothly in minor key contexts.
- Practice the Em–D–C–B progression (descending I–VII–VI–V in E Minor) — a classic melancholic pattern in classical and folk.