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E Minor Chord to A Minor Chord: There's a Problem Here
You’ve probably noticed that the Em chord progressing to the Am chord does not quite measure up to the confident, resolved sound of, say, G major to C major. So, what's the problem?
When you progress from E minor to A minor, you move from these notes:
E – G – B
to these notes:
A – C – E
As usual, your brain checks out the new chord against the one left behind for signs that the new chord is assuming the role of the new tonic chord—at least for the moment. And here’s what it finds:
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The scale relationship of the note G in the E minor chord (the chord being left behind) with respect to the root note A (the foundation note) in the new chord, A minor, is ♭7 – 1 (8), not 7 – 1 (8).
Your brain senses only a moderate sense of satisfaction when the note G in the E minor chord resolves to the root note A in the new chord, A minor.