E minor

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E minor

Relative key	G major
Parallel key	E major
Component pitches
E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E

Also see: E major, or E-flat minor.

E minor (Em, Mim) is a musical minor scale based on the note E, consisting of the pitches E, F♯, G, A, B, C, and D. The harmonic minor scale contains a D♯. Its key signature has one sharp, F (see below: Scales and keys).

Its relative major is G major, and its parallel major is E major.

Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary.

Much of the classical acoustic guitar repertoire is in E minor, as this is a very characteristic key for the instrument. With the standard tuning, four of the instrument's six strings open are part of the tonic chord. The key is also extremely popular in heavy metal music, as it allows extended use of the lowest note on a standard-tuned guitar, E.

E minor was one of the most-often used keys by Felix Mendelssohn.

Well-known classical compositions in this key

• Symphony No. 4 - Johannes Brahms
• Nocturne in E Minor - Frédéric Chopin
• Piano Concerto No. 1 - Frédéric Chopin
• Prelude in E Minor (Chopin) - Frédéric Chopin
• Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" - Antonín Dvořák
• Cello Concerto - Edward Elgar
• Symphony No. 44 "Trauer" - Joseph Haydn
• Symphony No. 7 - Gustav Mahler
• Violin Concerto in E Minor - Felix Mendelssohn
• Caprice No. 3 - Nicolò Paganini
• Symphony No. 2 - Sergei Rachmaninov
• Vocalise Op. 34 No. 14 - Sergei Rachmaninov
• Symphony No. 10 - Dmitri Shostakovich
• Symphony No. 1 - Jean Sibelius
• Symphony No. 5 - Tchaikovsky
• Symphony No. 6 - Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Concerto for Bassoon, Strings, and continuo, RV 484 - Antonio Vivaldi
• Slavonic Dances No. 2 Op. 72 - Antonín Dvořák

See also: list of symphonies in E minor

Scales and keys

v • d • e Diatonic Scales and Keys
	Flats Sharps Major minor Major minor 0 C, a 1 F d G e 2 B♭ g D b 3 E♭ c A f♯ 4 A♭ f E c♯ 5 D♭ b♭ B g♯ 6 G♭ e♭ F♯ d♯ 7 C♭ a♭ C♯ a♯ 8 F♭ d♭ G♯ e♯
The table indicates the number of sharps or flats in each scale. Minor scales are written in lower case.