E minor scale on ukulele
The E minor scale has the notes E F# G A B C D. Also called natural minor. It sounds melancholic and fits songs in a minor key; over the major V chord, raise the 7th degree (harmonic minor).
Notes and degrees
| Note | E | F# | G | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | b7 |
In the first five frets
Standard G C E A tuning (high G). The number is the fret; 0 is the open string.
| String | Frets (note) |
|---|---|
| G | 0 (G) · 2 (A) · 4 (B) · 5 (C) |
| C | 0 (C) · 2 (D) · 4 (E) |
| E | 0 (E) · 2 (F#) · 3 (G) · 5 (A) |
| A | 0 (A) · 2 (B) · 3 (C) · 5 (D) |
Chords that fit
Over these chords the scale sounds in key. Aim for each chord's notes on the strong beats.
- Emi
- F#dimii°
- GIII
- Amiv
- Bmv
- CVI
- DVII
How to use it
- Start and end your phrases on E: that is where the scale rests.
- Over Em, the safest notes are the chord tones. In the app, they show in green.
- Move by neighboring steps and leave space between phrases; rhythm matters as much as the note.
See also: chords in the key of E minor · E major · E minor pentatonic · E blues