Prelude in E Minor in E

Frédéric Chopin / Mulligan(1839)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B
B7♭9sus4
FMaj7♯11
CMaj7♯5
B7♭9sus4
CMaj7♯11
CMaj7♯11
B7♯5
E7♯5
CMaj7♯11
B7♭9sus4
CMaj7♯11
B7♭9sus4
B7♭9sus4
Bsus4♭9

Chord Diagrams — Prelude in E Minor in E (Guitar)

Display
FingerNoteDegree
Em
EADGBE23
2frEADGBE113427frEADGBE1113429frEADGBE4312xx
B7♭9sus4
B - E - F♯ - A - C
B7♭9
EADGBE11x234
5frEADGBE3241xx7frEADGBE111x238frEADGBE11xx23
F7♯11
EADGBE123
3frEADGBExx12347frEADGBE11x2348frEADGBE111x23
FMaj7♯11
Fm6
EADGBE1x234
3frEADGBE11xx326frEADGBE11x3249frEADGBExx2314
E7♭9
EADGBE312
4frEADGBE11346frEADGBE11x23410frEADGBE3241xx
Em7
EADGBE2
EADGBE114237frEADGBE1111328frEADGBExx2314
A7♭9
EADGBE11x23
5frEADGBE1114236frEADGBE11xx2311frEADGBE11x234
Am7
EADGBEx21
EADGBEx23145frEADGBE1111137frEADGBE11x423
Am6
EADGBEx2314
4frEADGBE2222x15frEADGBE1112347frEADGBE111x32
D9
4frEADGBE222221
7frEADGBEx12349frEADGBE11234x10frEADGBE111324
D♯dim7
EADGBExx1324
5frEADGBE11x2347frEADGBExx132410frEADGBE112x3x
Dm7
EADGBExx312
5frEADGBE1111326frEADGBExx231410frEADGBE111113
G7
EADGBE321
3frEADGBE1111325frEADGBE11x32410frEADGBE111134
G7♭9
EADGBE11324
EADGBE111x234frEADGBE11xx239frEADGBE11x234
CMaj7♯5
CMaj7
EADGBE231
3frEADGBE1113245frEADGBE111xx410frEADGBE333xx1
CMaj7♯11
B7♯5
EADGBEx2134
2frEADGBEx2137frEADGBE1x234x9frEADGBExx1423
F♯m7♭5
EADGBE2341
4frEADGBE222xx19frEADGBEx1324x10frEADGBE11xx24
Fm7♭5
EADGBE1x23x
EADGBE222xx18frEADGBEx1324x11frEADGBE2134x
Fdim
EADGBExx12x3
6frEADGBEx41x238frEADGBEx1243x11frEADGBE31x42x
E7♯5
EADGBE412
2frEADGBExx14237frEADGBE11x43212frEADGBE1x234x
Em9
EADGBE24
EADGBE12435frEADGBE2222x110frEADGBE11324
F♯7♭9
EADGBE2134
3frEADGBE11xx238frEADGBE11x23412frEADGBE3241xx
EmMaj7
EADGBE21
EADGBE113424frEADGBE11x42x7frEADGBE111423
C7
EADGBEx3241
3frEADGBE1111345frEADGBE111xx28frEADGBE111132
Esus4
EADGBE234
2frEADGBE112347frEADGBE1112349frEADGBE11xx2
E
EADGBE231
2frEADGBExx12434frEADGBE1114327frEADGBE111234
Bsus4♭9

Prelude in E Minor in E

Key of E

E major is arguably guitar's most powerful key. The open low E and high E strings ring sympathetically as the root, while the open B provides the fifth. This triple reinforcement gives E-based riffs and chords unmatched depth and volume. E is a beginner-level key on guitar because both the low E and high E strings ring as the root, and the open B is the fifth — three open strings reinforce the tonic chord. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to F (ascending tritone), F to F (ascending unison), F to F (ascending unison), F to E (descending half step), E to E (ascending unison), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to A (ascending unison), A to A (ascending unison), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to D# (ascending half step), D# to D (descending half step), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to G (ascending unison), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to C (ascending unison), C to C (ascending unison), C to B (descending half step), B to F# (descending perfect fourth), F# to F (descending half step), F to F (ascending unison), F to E (descending half step), E to E (ascending unison), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to E (descending whole step), E to C (descending major third), C to E (ascending major third), E to E (ascending unison), E to B (descending perfect fourth). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from B to E by perfect fourth.

Scales for Improvisation

E major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, E Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.

swing4/4 · 54 bars · Form: AB

Chords: Em, B7♭9sus4, B7♭9, F7♯11, FMaj7♯11, Fm6, E7♭9, Em7, A7♭9, Am7, Am6, D9, D♯dim7, Dm7, G7, G7♭9, CMaj7♯5, CMaj7, CMaj7♯11, B7♯5, F♯m7♭5, Fm7♭5, Fdim, E7♯5, Em9, F♯7♭9, EmMaj7, C7, Esus4, E, Bsus4♭9.

Scales for Improvisation E bebop minor, E bebop.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of E