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

E minor (Em, Mim) is a musical minor scale based on the note E, consisting of the pitches E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D and E (natural minor scale - the harmonic minor scale contains a D♯ instead of a D). Its key signature consists of one sharp.

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.

For a classically tuned guitar, E minor is the most characteristic key, since the tonic chord is available using as many as four open strings.

[edit] Well-known classical compositions in this key

• Symphony No. 4 - Johannes Brahms
• Nocturne in E Minor - Frédéric Chopin
• Piano Concerto No. 1 - Frédéric Chopin
• New World Symphony - 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. 5 - Nicolò Paganini
• Symphony No. 2 - Sergei Rachmaninov
• Vocalise Op. 34 No. 14 - Sergei Rachmaninov
• Symphony No. 1 - Jean Sibelius
• Symphony No. 5 - Tchaikovsky

[edit] Well-known contemporary music in this key

• Achilles Last Stand - Led Zeppelin
• The Black Hole Main Theme - John Barry
• Buffy The Vampire Slayer Theme - Nerf Herder
• Doctor Who theme music - Ron Grainer
• Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles
• Enter Sandman - Metallica
• Hallowed Be Thy Name - Iron Maiden
• Heart of Gold - Neil Young
• Hey You - Pink Floyd
• A Horse With No Name - America
• I Keep Forgettin' - Michael McDonald
• The James Bond Theme
• Know Who You Are At Every Age - Cocteau Twins
• Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi (also in G major and B flat major)
• London Calling - The Clash
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Theme - Ron Wasserman
• My Wave - Soundgarden (also B Mixolydian)
• Nights In White Satin - The Moody Blues
• Nothing Else Matters - Metallica
• Paranoid - Black Sabbath
• The Pink Panther Theme - Henry Mancini
• Play That Funky Music- Wild Cherry (also G minor)
• Question! - System of a Down
• Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake
• Roundabout - Yes
• Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
• Shimmer - Fuel
• Solitary Man - Neil Diamond
• Totalimmortal - AFI
• The Trooper - Iron Maiden
• Welcome Home (Sanitarium) - Metallica
• We Will Rock You - Queen

First Movement in Romanza-Anonymous

Diatonic Scales and Keys
	Flats Sharps Major minor Major minor 0 C (Major), a (minor) 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♯
lower case letters are minor the table indicates the number of sharps or flats in each scale