This chord has 4 voicings across the fretboard. Use the arrows to see each shape and fingering — and tap any dot on the diagram to hear that note.
E Minor Guitar Chord
The easiest chord on guitar — just two fingers. Despite its simplicity, E Minor's rich, open sound is deeply expressive.
Also known as
- Em
- E-
- E m
- Emin
- E min
- Eminor
- E minor
How to Play This Chord
Position your fingers on the fretboard as shown in the diagram. The vertical lines represent the strings, from low E (left) to high E (right), and the horizontal lines are the frets. Numbers inside the dots indicate which finger to use: 1 (index), 2 (middle), 3 (ring), 4 (pinky). An X means don't play that string; an O means play it open. A bar spanning multiple strings means one finger presses across all of them at once — this is known as a barre chord.
Tips & Tricks
Open Em is arguably the easiest chord on the guitar — just two fingers on the A and D strings. Beginners should use this chord to practice clean strumming across all six strings. If you want a richer sound, experiment with adding your pinky on the 2nd fret of the B string.