Em Piano Chord

E minor is the Em piano chord. It has three notes: E, G and B. All three are white keys, and along with A minor and D minor it is one of the three minor chords that need no black keys at all.

1E3G5BC4C5

E at the bottom, then G and B. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. Every key here is white.

How to play Em on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the E above middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): E
  3. Middle finger (3): G
  4. Little finger (5): B
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just E on its own as a bass note.

E minor and G major share G and B. That overlap is why the two chords follow each other so easily, and why songs in G lean on E minor so often.

Inversions of Em

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Em; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionG B E
Em piano chord diagram, first inversion, G B E
Lighter than root position and less final. A flat third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionB E G
Em piano chord diagram, second inversion, B E G
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.

If it sounds wrong

It sounds bright instead of sad
The middle note is G, a white key. G sharp, the black key beside it, would give you E major.
The top note is weak
B is under the little finger. Rather than pressing harder with it, tilt the hand slightly outward so the weight arrives naturally.
The chord sounds low and heavy
In root position E minor sits below middle C. Use the first inversion, G B E, to put the same chord higher up where it is lighter.

What makes it an Em

E · G · B 1 ♭3 5

E minor is the first, flat third and fifth of the E scale: E, G and B. Three half steps from E to G is the minor third that gives the chord its colour.

It is the relative minor of G major, the vi chord of G, the ii of D and the iii of C. Between those three keys it turns up in an enormous amount of popular music.

Em vs E

The middle note moves up one key, from G to the black G sharp, and E minor becomes E major.

E minor is the easier one, being all white keys, and it is also the more common in pop. E major belongs more to guitar based rock, where the open E shape makes it natural.

Questions about Em

Which notes are in an Em chord on piano?

E, G and B. All three are white keys.

What fingers do you use for Em?

Right hand: thumb on E, middle finger on G, little finger on B. Left hand: little finger on E, middle on G, thumb on B.

Is Em easy on piano?

Yes. Three white keys, no black notes, and the same hand shape as every other root position triad.

What is the difference between Em and E?

One key. E minor uses G, E major uses G sharp. That black key is the difference between sad and bright.

Where is the Em chord used?

As the vi chord in G, the ii in D and the iii in C. It is one of the most common minor chords in pop and folk.

Chords to learn next

Other E chords