Chord progressions in E minor

Which chords belong together in E minor, and what is built from them: the seven diatonic chords and 5 common progressions, each written out.

The chords of E minor

Almost every song in this key is built from these seven. The roman numeral says which degree of the scale the chord stands on — upper case for major, lower case for minor.

Degree	Chord	Type
i	Em	minor
ii°	F#dim	diminished
III	G	major
iv	Am	minor
v	Bm	minor
VI	C	major
VII	D	major

5 progressions in E minor

iiø–V–iF#m7b5 – B7 – Em7The minor jazz cadence i–i–i–i–iv–iv–i–i–V–iv–i–VEm7 – Am7 – Em7 – B7 – Am7 – Em7 – B7The minor blues i–iv–vEm – Am – BmThe three primary chords in minor i–VII–VI–VEm – D – C – BThe Andalusian cadence i–VII–VI–VIIEm – D – C – DThe minor loop

Neighbouring keys

B minorA minorG major

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Every note on this page is computed, not typed in — following the rule that also makes F# major spell its seventh degree E#, not F.