Chords in the Key of E Minor
In the key of E minor, the 3 principle chords are E minor (Im), A minor (IVm), and B dominant 7th (V7).
In Note Form:
Em
Am
B7
The following strum pattern introduces a tie on the third beat. The broken wedge mark, o, indicates that the down strum motion is played away from the strings so that no sound is produced.
This Blues progression features the 3 principle chords in the key of E minor, together with bass note picking and bass note runs.
You will need to read the chord notes very carefully in order to play this piece correctly. Pay special attention to the chords in bars 1 and 3, and remember that the melody (stems upward) should be clear.
"Allegro" features a modulation (key change) from G major (bars 1-16) to E minor (bars 17-32), as indicated by the appearance of D# notes. Modulations from the major key to its relative minor (and vice versa) are very common in music.
The bars involving single notes (e.g., bars 2-4) should be played in arpeggio style (previous lesson). The piece contains 2 sections (A and B) arranged in the order A — B — A, which is referred to as ternary form.
*Allegro means fast.
