Ok so lets say I am doing an E to an Am to a G to a C to a B to an Am back to E, O_O.
Ok E to Am is okay, but then G isnt even in the E major scale, would this progression be in the key of E minor even if the main chord is an E major or is that G a borrowed note from the A scale ?
Come to think of it, C isnt in E major scale either O_O.
So are these two chords just like borrowed from the key of A minor or something ?
Oh and also, if Im playing in a song with an E major chord, can I use an E minor chord later in the song ?? O_O
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Its Kirby....
Oh and also, if Im playing in a song with an E major chord, can I use an E minor chord later in the song ?? O_O
If it sounds good there.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Could it be that you're actually playing in Am?
In Aminor, harmonising the Aeolian scale (or Natural scale) gives you the same chords as you'd find harmonising the C major scale - both scales have the same notes. This explains your Am, C, and G. Since E is chord V of A (and chord V of Aminor) it isn't unusual to find this chord played as an Emajor and not Eminor (or to find the use of both Eminor and Emajor in the same piece*).
Now, all you've got to explain is the Bmajor chord. But this occurs in a descending chromatic passage - the C-B-Amin bit, and you can use chords from outside the scale when moving chromatically. So that could explain your rogue Bmajor chord.
The fact that you start and end on E doesn't mean you're definitely playing in the key of E - many songs will start and/or end on a chord that isn't the tonic (chord I) of the kay they're in.
David Hodge has a lesson on harmonising the minor scales, looking at the Aeolian, Natural, and Melodic minor scales on the GN mainpage. I wish I could remember what it's called, but it's really clear and thorough, and well worth a look if you're unsure about how harmonise in minor keys.
* You could also, of course, always use E minor later in the piece by modulating to a key which has E minor in it. As Ricochet says, if it sounds good, go for it!
