II-V-I mineurs

Music Lesson: Two Five Ones in E Minor

In the last lesson, we looked at two five ones in the major key. You can also find them in minor keys.

E Minor Chord Progression

Here it is in E minor:

You might have noticed the F# minor 7 flat 5. You might want a quick reminder of what goes into that.

1. First of all, let's play the arpeggio of F# minor 7:

   • Notes: 24, 24.

2. Now flatten the fifth:

   • Which is ____.

3. Here's the chord sequence.

Arpeggios and Scales

In arpeggios, the harmonic minor scale runs down from the root of F# minor to the root of E minor.

• You can also run down a scale from the third of F# minor, ending up on the third of E minor.

Creating Licks

You can use the harmonic minor scale to create licks such as this one.

• In this example, we're using half a bar each of the two and the five.

Variations

The harmonic minor can get a bit wearing after a time.

• You can also use the melodic minor, which has a B natural, even though it doesn't strictly fit the chords.

Practice Sequence

Here's an extended sequence of 2-5-1s in E minor for you to practice.