G#m Guitar Chord

G#m is the G sharp minor chord. It has three notes: G♯, B and D♯. The standard shape is the Em shape barred at the 4th fret. You will meet G#m mostly in the keys of E and B, where it does the same quiet supporting work Em does in the key of G.

The Em shape barred at the 4th fret, an identical grip to Gm one fret higher.

How to play G#m, step by step

Index finger: press flat across the low E to high E strings at fret 4
Ring finger: 6th fret, A string
Pinky finger: 6th fret, D string
Strum all six strings.

This is Gm moved up one fret; the same two fingers ride above the same barre. Learn either and the other comes free.

Easy G#m for beginners (no barre)

The gentle version is xx6444: ring finger on the 6th fret of the D string, index resting flat across the G, B and high E strings at the 4th fret. No six string clamp required.

All three notes that define the chord survive: G♯, B, D♯ and a second G♯ on top. Root, third, fifth, present and correct. The full barre only adds bass strings underneath the same information.

In a song, few listeners will notice the difference. Play this shape wherever a chart says G#m, and grow the full barre on the side rather than letting one chord stall your progress.

More ways to play G#m

There are 4 common G#m 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.

G#m guitar chord diagram, easier, small barre, played xx6444 — Easier, small barre

G#m guitar chord diagram, compact, frets 6 to 9, played xx6897 — Compact, frets 6 to 9

G#m guitar chord diagram, barre at fret 11, played x 11 13 13 12 11 — Barre at fret 11

Songs that use the G#m chord

If it buzzes or chokes

Buzz right at the barre: Check where the index sits: it should hug the 4th fret wire, not float halfway back toward the 3rd. A centimeter of drift can double the pressure needed.
The top strings sound faint: Barre pressure tends to pool in the middle of the finger. Think of pressing with the tip and the base, the two ends, and the G, B and high E will firm up.
The D string thuds: The pinky at the 6th fret is probably landing on its pad. Stand it up on its tip, right behind the fret, even if that means dropping the wrist slightly.

What makes it a G#m

G♯ · B · D♯ 1 ♭3 5

G♯m is a minor triad: G♯, a minor third B, and a fifth D♯. It is the relative minor of B major, works as the ii chord of F♯, and appears as the iii chord in E major, which is exactly how Under the Bridge reaches it. Sharp keys like E and B fit the guitar's open strings well, so G#m is far more common in guitar music than its flat spelling Abm ever is on paper.

G#m vs Ab

A♭ and G♯ are one pitch with two names, so this is really minor versus major on the same root. A♭ major has a C where G#m has a B, and that half step is the entire difference in sound. The spelling split is about keys: the major belongs to flat keys and gets written A♭, while the minor lives in the sharp keys of E and B and gets written G♯m. On the fretboard, both are barre grips and the names change nothing.

G#m chord questions

Is Abm the same as G#m?

Yes, identical pitches. Writers pick the spelling that fits the key: sharp keys say G#m, flat keys say Abm. Guitar charts almost always use G#m.

How do I play G#m without a barre?

Play xx6444: the ring finger takes the D string at fret 6, the index covers the top three strings at fret 4.

What songs use G#m?

Under the Bridge uses it inside its E major verse progression, and any song in the keys of E or B can call for it.

Is G#m hard to play?

It needs the standard six string barre, but at the 4th fret, a comfortable spot where the strings press easily. If Fm or Gm works for you, so does this.

What keys use G#m?

It is the vi chord of B major, the ii chord of F♯ major, and the iii chord of E major.