E Minor

The scale displayed with its numeric formula and scale degrees.

Formula	Notes	Intervals	Degrees
1	E	Unison	Tonic
2	F#	Major second	Supertonic
b3	G	Minor third	Mediant
4	A	Perfect fourth	Subdominant
5	B	Perfect fifth	Dominant
b6	C	Minor sixth	Submediant
b7	D	Minor seventh	Subtonic

The interval formula (2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2) can be expound into specific notes of the scale.

Notes (ascending)	Interval
E-F#	M2
E-G	m3
E-A	P4
E-B	P5
E-C	m6
E-D	m7

Notes (descending)	Interval
E-D	M2
E-C	M3
E-B	P4
E-A	P5
E-G	M6
E-F#	m7

Abbreviations are used: M / m stands for major / minor and P stands for perfect.

The E Minor scale consists of seven notes. These can be described as intervals, as semi-notes or steps on the guitar fingerboard, written as 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 from the first note to the next octave.
The E Minor is relative to G Major. Both scales include the same notes but their tonal center differ.
The E Minor is identical with the E Aeolian mode.

Beneficial to learn this scale is to observe the note steps starting from the root: whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole. The same formula applies for the whole neck.

These are chords built from the notes of this scale:

Em, Em7, Em9, Em11

F#dim, F#m7b5

G, Gmaj7, G6, G6/9, Gmaj9, Gmaj13

Am, Am7, Am6, Am9, Am11, Am13

Bm, Bm7

C, Cmaj7, C6, C6/9, Cmaj9

D, D7, D6, D9, D11, D13

The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the E Minor scale in which Em is the tonic triad and Em7 the tonic 7th chord.

Start the audio and play along! Use notes from the scale in the diagram above.

Normal tempo: Slow tempo:

E Minor scale first shape ascending.

The numbers above the tablature are suggested fingerings.

Studies based on E Minor scale.

Study 1 (tab & standard notation)

Study 2 (tab & standard notation)