Em Guitar Chord

Em is the E minor chord. It has three notes: E, G and B. It is usually the very first chord a guitarist learns: two fingers, no barre, and you strum every string.

Two fingers side by side at the 2nd fret, everything else open. For most guitarists this is chord number one.

How to play Em, step by step

Middle finger: 2nd fret, A string
Ring finger: 2nd fret, D string
Strum all six strings.

From here, one extra finger on the G string, 1st fret, turns Em into E major. Lifting the ring finger instead gives you Em7. Em sits at the center of a whole family of easy shapes.

More ways to play Em

There are 3 common Em shapes in total: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these, easiest first. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

Em guitar chord diagram, barre at fret 7, played x79987 — Barre at fret 7

Em guitar chord diagram, compact, frets 7 to 9, played xx9987 — Compact, frets 7 to 9

Songs that use the Em chord

If it sounds muffled or buzzy

Open strings sound dull: Four strings ring open in Em. Check that the ring finger stands on its tip, because a flat ring finger brushes the open G string quiet.
Buzz at the 2nd fret: Slide both fingers closer behind the fret wire and press with the fingertips. Pressing halfway between frets is the usual cause.
The low E gets choked: Nothing should touch the low E in this chord. If it sounds dead, the middle finger on the A string is drooping over the edge; keep the knuckles curled.

What makes it an Em

E · G · B 1 ♭3 5

Em is a minor triad: E, a minor third G, and a fifth B. The G is the note that makes it minor; raise it a half step to G♯ and you get E major. Em is the relative minor of G major, which is why the G, C, D and Em group runs through so many songs. In the key of D it plays the ii role, and in the key of G it is the vi chord. In songs like Zombie it even takes over as the home chord, with the whole progression circling back to Em.

Em vs E

The difference is a single note: Em has a G, E major has a G♯. On guitar you add the index finger on the G string, 1st fret, and Em becomes E. It is the smallest possible change of grip with the biggest change of mood, dark to bright. Neither substitutes for the other; the third decides which chord you are actually playing.

Em chord questions

Is Em the easiest guitar chord?

It is usually the first one taught. Two fingers, no barre, no skipped strings. Only stripped down one finger chords are simpler.

Do you strum all six strings in Em?

Yes. Every open string in Em is a chord note, so nothing needs muting.

What is the difference between Em and E?

One note: G in Em, G♯ in E major. On the fretboard it is one finger on the G string, 1st fret.

What songs use Em?

Zombie, Perfect, Stand by Me and Brown Eyed Girl all use it. Almost any song in G major or E minor will reach for Em at some point.

Why does Em sound sad?

Its third, G, sits a half step lower than the G♯ of E major. Western ears hear that lowered third as dark or sad, and it defines every minor chord.