Key of E minor on Guitar: Chords and Progressions
One sharp. The minor twin of G major - same notes, different home. The most-played minor key on guitar.
The notes
E F# G A B C D
Find them all on the fretboard notes tool.
The chords in this key
Build a chord on every note of the scale and you get the seven chords that always sound good together in E minor. The Roman numerals are how musicians talk about them - they work in every key.
| Numeral | Chord |
|---|---|
| i | Em |
| ii° | F#dim |
| III | G |
| iv | Am |
| v | Bm |
| VI | C |
| VII | D |
Progressions to try
- Em - G - D - C - the most common pop progression.
- Em - C - G - D - folk and rock standard.
Why this matters: when someone says a song is "in E minor", these are the chords they are choosing from. Learn the I, IV, and V chords first - that is most songs.