STRINGSCALES

E minor Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

A string: A, B, C, D, E, F#, G, A at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12

D string: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12

G string: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

B string: B, C, D, E, F#, G, A, B at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

High E string: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

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E minor

The minor scale, also called natural minor or aeolian, shares its notes with the major scale three frets up but centers them on a darker home chord. The flat 3rd sets the minor sound, and the flat 6th gives it the heavy, melancholic pull that drives rock, metal and film ballads. Compare it with the harmonic and melodic minor, which each raise degrees to strengthen the resolution to the root.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

E

i

Em
F♯

ii°

F♯dim
G

bIII

Gmaj
A

iv

Am
B

v

Bm
C

bVI

Cmaj
D

bVII

Dmaj

Characteristic note: C (b6), the flat sixth that separates natural minor from dorian.

Same notes, different mode

E minor uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

F# locrianG major · relative majorA dorianB phrygianC lydianD mixolydian

minor in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Anchor your E minor phrases on the flat 3rd (G) and flat 7th (D); they are what separate the minor sound from E major.
  • Let the flat 6th (C) fall to the 5th (B) at phrase endings for the classic minor lament.
  • Solo over a i-bVI-bVII vamp in E minor: all three chords live inside the scale, so every scale tone works somewhere.
  • Swap to E harmonic minor on the V chord (raise bVII (D) to VII) to hear why that raised 7th exists, then fall back to natural minor on the i.

How to play E minor on guitar

Every open string belongs to E minor, and both E strings sound the root, so the fully open position plays itself with almost no fretting. Most players meet this key first. Open B supplies the fifth, which lets chord fragments ring against melodies on the top strings. Relative major G shares the fingering, which means G major licks are already E minor licks. First box ends at fret 4, and the E-shape barre at fret 12 restates everything an octave up.

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