Em chord (E minor) on guitar
How to finger Em, which notes it contains and which chords it is played with. Tap the diagram to hear it, then play it below in a progression with other chords.
About the Em chord
Em is E minor. Notes: E – B – G. Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 5.
Difficulty: easy (1 out of 3). Few fingers and a comfortable position: fine from the first weeks. This is one of the most common chords: it appears in a huge number of songs and is among the first ones people learn.
How to place your fingers
- String 6 (E): open
- String 5 (A): fret 2
- String 4 (D): fret 2
- String 3 (G): open
- String 2 (B): open
- String 1 (e): open
Where it appears
Em is found in these keys: G (vi), D (ii), C (iii).
Progressions with Em
Every progression starts on Em and all its chords come from one key, so the changes sound natural. Play them in the block above; the Roman numerals show each chord's degree.
Try it in practice
Practise chord changes