How to Play Guitar Chords in G Major or E Minor
G Major, E Natural Minor, E Harmonic, and E Melodic Scales
Jul 6, 2009
A guitarist who spends time learning the key of G major/E minor will soon understand how all the other keys work. A good place for a guitarist to start would be learning the chords associate with the key of G major/E minor.
Likewise, a guitarist should learn the scales associated with the key of G major/E minor. The goal will later be to combine chords and scales to create songs.
What are Major Scales?
Chords in G major/E minor both use the same key signature. The G major scale (also the G major key) is composed of the following notes: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#. Moreover, the major scale step pattern is: W, W, H, W, W, W, H. The W stands for whole step (2 frets on the guitar); The H stands for half-step (1 fret on the guitar).
A guitarist can build a major scale off of every note on the guitar by just following the major scale step pattern. There are twelve different notes on the guitar, so a guitarist can build twelve different major scales. These scales are also the twelve major keys. Also, Roman numerals are used to represent the specific chords. Capital Roman numerals are major chords, whereas lower case Roman numeral are minor chords.
I = G
ii = Am
iii = Bm
IV = C
V = D
vi = Em
vii dim = F# diminished triad
Chords in the Key of G Major
A guitarist can figure out the chords (triads) existing in the key of G major simply by skipping every other note as shown below:
G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C -- The G major scale from G to 2nd C.
G B D -- Notes of G Major Chord
A C E -- Notes of A minor
B D F# -- Notes of B minor
C E G -- Notes of C Major
D F# A -- Notes of D Major
E G B -- Notes of E minor
F# A C -- Notes of F# diminished triad
A guitarist can also extend all these chords to 7th's, by skipping over to the next note and adding it to the chord:
I = Gmaj7 = G - B - D - F#
ii = Am7 = A - C - E - G
iii = Bm7 = B - D - F# - A
IV = Cmaj7 = C - E - G - B
V = D7 = D - F# - A - C
vi = Em7 = E - G - B - D
vii ø = F#m7b5 = F# - A - C - E (ø = Half Diminished chord)
What are Minor Scales?
Interestingly, every major scale can be thought of as a minor scale of another name. A guitarist just has to rewrite the major scale starting from the 6th note in the scale.
Specifically, the E natural minor scale comes from the same scale pattern as the G major scale, but starting at the 6th note (E). That is: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D. The interval order has changed to W, H, W, W, H, W, W. This interval order is what gives the scale its distinctive minor sound.
The chords are:
i = Em
ii = F#dim (dim triad)
III = G
iv = Am
v = Bm
VI = C
VII = D
The guitarist can create these chords by skipping every other note as above, but using the E natural minor scale: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D.
The E Harmonic Minor Scale
There are also two additional minor scales that a guitarist can use. The E harmonic minor scale is created by changing the D to a D sharp (#). That is, the D# is added to the E natural minor scale: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D#. All a guitarist has to do is raise the 7th note of the natural minor scale 1/2 step or 1 fret on the guitar.
The chords are:
i = Em
ii = F#dim (diminished triad)
III+ = G augmented
iv = Am
V = B
VI = C
vii = D#mb5 (diminished triad -- minor "flat" 5 is another way to write it.)
The guitarist can create these chords by skipping every other note as above, but using the E harmonic minor scale: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D#.
The E Melodic Minor Scale
The E melodic minor scale: C# and D# added to natural minor scale -- E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D#. To create this scale, all a guitarist has to do is raise the 6th and 7th note of the natural minor scale 1/2 step or 1 fret on the guitar. A guitarist typically uses this scale when ascending in pitch, but returns to the natural minor scale when descending in pitch.
The chords are:
i = Em
ii = F#m
III+ = G augmented
IV = A
V = B
vi = C#mb5
vii = D#mb5
The guitarist can create these chords by skipping every other note as above, but using the E melodic minor scale: E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D#.
Interestingly, a guitarist can easily combine the E melodic ascending and descending scales/chords as shown below.
Combined scales and resulting chords: E, F#, G, A, B, C or C#, D or D#
Chord i = E minor
Chord ii = F# diminished or F# minor
Chord III/III+ = G Major or G Augmented
Chord iv/IV = A minor or A Major
Chord v/V = B minor or B Major
Chord VI/vi mb5 = C Major or C#mb5 (C# dim triad)
Chord VII/vii mb5 = D Major or D# mb5 (D# dim triad)
A guitarist should master the key of G major/E minor. Once mastered, they will understand how other keys work. They will also notice the myriad of songs that use the G major/E minor key/scales. The song Yesterday by the Beatles is a good example.
