In G♯ minor, E is E (natural)The key signature of G♯ minor does not alter E, so it stays natural.

Is E sharp or flat in G♯ minor?

In G♯ minor, E is natural: the key signature has five sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯, and none of them falls on E, so you play the plain E unless a written accidental says otherwise.

The signature of G♯ minor is five sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯. It alters only F, C, G, D and A, so E is left alone.

Spelled from the tonic, the G♯ minor scale runs G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯ — one of each letter, each carrying whatever the signature gives it. The staff above draws the G♯ minor signature and the note E inside it — exactly as you would meet it in a piece written in this key.

Every letter in G♯ minor

G♯ minor has five sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯. That fixes what each of the seven letters is called in this key:

  • C is C♯
  • D is D♯
  • E is E (natural — the signature leaves it alone) — the letter on this page
  • F is F♯
  • G is G♯
  • A is A♯
  • B is B (natural — the signature leaves it alone)

G♯ minor shares its signature with its relative B major — the same sharps or flats, so E is natural there too.

G♯ minor and A♭ minor are the same key on the keyboard, written two different ways — so they answer this question differently: E is E in G♯ minor, and E♭ in A♭ minor.

Frequently asked questions

Is E sharp or flat in G♯ minor?
No. G♯ minor has five sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯ — none of them on E, so E is natural in this key.
What accidental does E carry in G♯ minor?
E stays natural. The signature of G♯ minor is five sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯. It alters only F, C, G, D and A, so E is left alone.
What sharps or flats are in G♯ minor?
G♯ minor has five sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯ — written in that order at the start of the staff.
How is the G♯ minor scale spelled?
From the tonic up: G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯. Each letter appears once, carrying whatever the key signature gives it.