Learn the E natural minor scale — notes, intervals, chords, modes, and more.
The E natural minor scale contains the following notes:
E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – DThe scale degrees of the E natural minor scale are:
1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7| Scale Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | E |
| 2 | F♯ |
| ♭3 | G |
| 4 | A |
| 5 | B |
| ♭6 | C |
| ♭7 | D |
The E natural minor scale uses the interval pattern W, H, W, W, H, W, W
| From | To | Step |
|---|---|---|
| E | F♯ | W |
| F♯ | G | H |
| G | A | W |
| A | B | W |
| B | C | H |
| C | D | W |
| D | E | W |
| Scale Degree | Note | Interval from E |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | Perfect Unison |
| 2 | F♯ | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | G | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | A | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | B | Perfect 5th |
| ♭6 | C | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | D | Minor 7th |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | Em | E, G, B |
| ii° | F♯dim | F♯, A, C |
| III | G | G, B, D |
| iv | Am | A, C, E |
| v | Bm | B, D, F♯ |
| VI | C | C, E, G |
| VII | D | D, F♯, A |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i7 | Em7 | E, G, B, D |
| iiø7 | F♯m7♭5 | F♯, A, C, E |
| IIImaj7 | Gmaj7 | G, B, D, F♯ |
| iv7 | Am7 | A, C, E, G |
| v7 | Bm7 | B, D, F♯, A |
| VImaj7 | Cmaj7 | C, E, G, B |
| VII7 | D7 | D, F♯, A, C |
The modes of E natural minor use the same notes but start on different scale degrees.
| Mode | Starting note | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| G Ionian | G | G, A, B, C, D, E, F♯ |
| A Dorian | A | A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G |
| B Phrygian | B | B, C, D, E, F♯, G, A |
| C Lydian | C | C, D, E, F♯, G, A, B |
| D Mixolydian | D | D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C |
| E Aeolian | E | E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D |
| F♯ Locrian | F♯ | F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E |
The relative major is G major. G major uses the exact same 7 notes as E natural minor — natural minor is simply the 6th mode (Aeolian) of the major scale.
E natural minor has a minor 3rd (G), minor 6th (C), and minor 7th (D), while E major has a major 3rd (G♯), major 6th (C♯), and major 7th (D♯). These three flattened degrees give natural minor its darker, more melancholic character.
The only difference is the 6th degree. E natural minor has a minor 6th (C), while E Dorian has a major 6th. That raised 6th makes Dorian sound slightly brighter and more versatile, while natural minor has a deeper, more traditional minor quality.