E minor · 1 sharp

Chords in E minor

E minor has 1 sharp, and its notes are E, F♯, G, A, B, C and D. Its seven chords are Em, F♯°, G, Am, Bm, C and D; with sevenths, Em7, F♯m7♭5, Gmaj7, Am7, Bm7, Cmaj7 and D7. The dominant players actually use, B7, comes from harmonic minor, so all three minor scales are below.

Natural minor

The key signature's own notes. Its v is minor, so it has no leading tone.

Chords of E minor, Natural minor
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function	Notes
i	Em	Em7	Tonic	E G B D
ii°			Subdominant
III	G	Gmaj7	Tonic
iv	Am	Am7	Subdominant	A C E G
v	Bm	Bm7	Dominant
VI	C	Cmaj7	Tonic	C E G B
VII	D	D7	Dominant

Harmonic minor

The seventh raised a semitone, which makes V major and V7 a real dominant.

Chords of E minor, Harmonic minor
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function	Notes
i	Em	EmMaj7	Tonic
ii°			Subdominant
III+	G+		Tonic
iv	Am	Am7	Subdominant	A C E G
V	B	B7	Dominant
VI	C	Cmaj7	Tonic	C E G B
vii°			Dominant

Melodic minor

The sixth and seventh both raised, as the melody climbs to the tonic.

Chords of E minor, Melodic minor
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function
i	Em	EmMaj7	Tonic
ii			Subdominant
III+	G+		Tonic
IV	A	A7	Subdominant
V	B	B7	Dominant
vi°			Tonic
vii°			Dominant

Hear where home is

Two short progressions in E minor. The last chord of each is the tonic, and the chord before it is what makes it sound like arriving.

Cadence

Emi
Amiv
B7V7
Emi

Minor ii V i

iiø7
B7V7
Em7i7

Common progressions in E minor

Minor ii V i iiø7 V7 i7
2. B7
3. Em7
Andalusian cadence i VII VI V
1. Em
2. D
3. C
4. B
i VI III VII i VI III VII
1. Em
2. C
3. G
4. D

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