E Minor Guitar Chord (Em)

23

Em

NameE minor
NotesEGB
IntervalsRrootb3minor 3rd55th

Root

Chord type

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  • Left arrowRight arrow Root
  • Up arrowDown arrow Chord type

Shape

Tone

Dots show

Em is the easiest chord on the guitar: two fingers, and all six strings ring. It's often the very first chord people learn, and it sounds great.

How to play the Em chord

  1. Put your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the A string (B).
  2. Put your 3rd finger on the 2nd fret of the D string (E).
  3. Let the low E, G, B and high E strings ring open (E, G, B, E).
  4. Strum from the low E string down.

TipUse your 2nd and 3rd fingers, not your 1st and 2nd. That keeps your 1st finger free and makes changing to C, G and Am much smoother.

4 ways to play Em

Every shape below is a real Em, checked note by note: E, G, B and nothing else. Easiest first, with the dark dot on the root.

Em chord diagram, open: 0 2 2 0 0 0
Open EasyWith sound The one most players learn first. This is the shape you hear on the play button.
Em chord diagram, 2nd fret: x x 2 4 5 3
2nd fret Medium 4 strings, root on the D string. Higher and lighter, great for a second guitar part.
Em chord diagram, barre, 7th fret: x 7 9 9 8 7
Barre, 7th fret Medium Root on the A string. The open Am shape moved up with a barre, a movable shape for any minor chord.
Em chord diagram, barre, 12th fret: 12 14 14 12 12 12
Barre, 12th fret Medium Root on the low E string. It's the open Em shape moved up with your 1st finger as the nut, so you can slide it to any minor chord.

E vs Em: hear the difference

Only one note changes: Em has G (the minor 3rd), E has G# (the major 3rd). Play them back to back:

Em

EGB

Darker and sadder

E

EG#B

Bright and settled

Chord progressions with Em

Chords make sense once you move between them. Press play to hear each progression with the real recordings, one chord per bar, then play along. Tap any chord to open its page.

The pop progression, from the minor

vi - IV - I - V in G
Em C G D
Countless songs loop this.

The walk-down

i - bVII - bVI - V in E minor
Em D C B
Also called the Andalusian cadence.

Minor key loop

i - iv - V - i in E minor
Em Am B Em
The V is major here, which pulls you home.

Practice changing to Em

Switching chords cleanly is what makes a new chord usable in a song. Start the timer, then go back and forth between Em and the chord you picked, strumming each one, and keep a count in your head. Your hands stay on the guitar the whole time. When it beeps, type in your count and try to beat it next time.

Em to C

60seconds

-last try

-your best

Practice Em with

Songs that use Em

  • Nothing Else Matters by MetallicaHome chord, verse Em-D-C
  • Paint It Black by The Rolling StonesHome chord, verse Em-B7
  • Zombie by The CranberriesWhole song is Em-C-G-D/F#
  • A Horse with No Name by AmericaVerse alternates Em-D6/9

Learn it with a teacher

Diagrams show you where your fingers go. A teacher shows you how to make it sound good. Start with these video lessons from the Infinite Guitar library:

The Minor Chord Free with an account · Mike Edwin Introduction To Guitar - Chords Free with an account · Chris Feener Chord Changes for Beginners - Transitions Free with an account · Chris Feener Mastering Bar Chords - Introduction Free with an account · Chris Feener

Access these lessons with a free account. No payment needed. Sign up free

Chords that go with Em

CmajorGmajorDmajorBmajorAmminor

Other E chords

EmajorE7dominant 7Emaj7major 7Em7minor 7Esus4suspended 4E7sus47 suspended 4E5power chordE6major 6Em6minor 6E9dominant 9EaugaugmentedEdim7diminished 7

Other minor chords

CmC Eb GC#mC# E G#DmD F AEbmEb Gb BbFmF Ab CF#mF# A C#GmG Bb DG#mG# B D#AmA C EBbmBb Db FBmB D F#

See all 154 chords in the Guitar Chord Chart

Em chord FAQ

What notes are in an Em chord?

Em has 3 notes: E (the root), G (the minor 3rd) and B (the 5th). Every Em shape on the guitar is those notes in a different order.

What is the difference between E and Em?

Only one note changes: Em has G (the minor 3rd), E has G# (the major 3rd). Use the player above to hear both.

Is Em hard to play?

No, it's one of the easier ones: 2 fingers and no barre, and the open strings do some of the work. Practice switching to it from a chord you already know.

How do you play Em as a barre chord?

Barre the 7th fret with your 1st finger, using the A shape (x-7-9-9-8-7). That shape is movable: slide it up or down and it plays a minor chord on every fret.

What key is Em in?

It's the i chord in E minor, the vi chord in G major, the ii chord in D major and the iii chord in C major.