What is the relative major key of E minor?

Study for the ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory Test. Dive into multiple choice questions, flashcards, hints, and explanations. Build confidence and get ready for your test!

The key of E minor has a relative major key, which is found by determining the key that is a minor third above E minor. The relative major key shares the same key signature as the minor key; therefore, it's the major key that corresponds to the tonic of the minor key.

In this case, to find the relative major, you can either count up three semitones from E (E to F, F# to G, G# to A) or recognize that the relative major of E minor is G major. Both G major and E minor have one sharp in their key signatures, which is F#.

This means G major is the correct answer as it shares the same group of notes, allowing it to function harmonically as the tonic of the relative major while E minor stands as its dominant subordinate key.

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