Guitar, piano and ukulele chords

Em chord (E minor)

The Em chord (E minor) has 3 notes: E, G and B. It is a minor chord: root, minor third and perfect fifth. It sounds darker and more intimate than major. It works as i in E minor, vi in G major and ii in D major.

How to play it on guitar

An x is a string you don't play and 0 is an open string. The number on the left is the fret where the shape starts.

Open
022000
7fr ×
Barre chord · fret 7
x79987
9fr ×
Barre chord · fret 9
(12)(10)99(12)x

Notes in the chord

NoteInterval
ERoot
GMinor third
BPerfect fifth

Inversions

  • Root position: E – G – B
  • First inversion: G – B – E
  • Second inversion: B – E – G

On piano

The highlighted keys (E, G and B) make the chord in root position.

On ukulele

Usual shape
4432
4fr
Higher up the neck · fret 4
4777

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Em chord?

Em has 3 notes: E, G and B. It is a minor chord: root, minor third and perfect fifth.

How do you play Em on guitar?

The usual shape is 022000, read from the low E string to the high E string.

What keys is Em in?

Em is in C major (iii), D major (ii), G major (vi), E minor (i), A minor (v) and B minor (iv).