Em7 Chord on Guitar
Notes E G B D. Start with open Em7 (0 2 0 0 0 0): one finger, string 5 at fret 2, all six strings ring.
Chord · Em7 minor 7th
Open Em7 · 0 2 0 0 0 0
open strings
Em7, D on the B string · 0 2 2 0 3 0
open strings
Am7-shape barre (fret 7) · x 7 9 7 8 7
barre, movable
Em7-shape barre (fret 12) · 12 14 12 12 12 12
barre, movable
1 E♭3 G5 B♭7 D
- String 6 (low E): open
- String 5 (A): middle (2), fret 2
- String 4 (D): open
- String 3 (G): open
- String 2 (B): open
- String 1 (high e): open
- String 6 (low E): open
- String 5 (A): index (1), fret 2
- String 4 (D): middle (2), fret 2
- String 3 (G): open
- String 2 (B): ring (3), fret 3
- String 1 (high e): open
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 5 to 1 at fret 7
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): index (1), fret 7
- String 4 (D): ring (3), fret 9
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 7
- String 2 (B): middle (2), fret 8
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 7
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 6 to 1 at fret 12
- String 6 (low E): index (1), fret 12
- String 5 (A): ring (3), fret 14
- String 4 (D): index (1), fret 12
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 12
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 12
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 12
Notes and formula
| Degree | Note | Interval from E |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root |
| ♭3 | G | minor 3rd |
| 5 | B | perfect 5th |
| ♭7 | D | minor 7th |
Formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 (minor 7th).
Also written Emin7, E minor 7th.
More on this chord type: Minor 7th chords · 7th chords explained
Capo shapes that sound as Em7
Open shapes you may already know, moved up with a capo.
Am7 shape + capo 7
Need the capo fret for a whole song? Capo calculator: any song key, any shapes. New to the capo? How to use a capo.
Keys that contain Em7
| Key | Em7 is the |
|---|---|
| E minor | i7 |
| A minor | v7 |
| B minor | iv7 |
| G major | vi7 |
| D major | ii7 |
| C major | iii7 |
Minor keys here use the natural minor scale.
Playing Em7: what goes wrong
Em7 for Em
Em7 is the vi7 chord of G major and the ii7 of D major. In songs in G it can usually take the place of Em: the extra D is the 5th of the key, so it rarely clashes.
Why it sounds open
Five of its six strings are open: E, D, G, B and E. Only the B on string 5 is fretted, which is why Em7 rings so freely.
Related chords
Learn and practise Em7
- Metronomepractise the change to Em7 at 60 BPM
- How to read chord chartsstrings, frets, fingers, x and o
- Chord finder (chord namer)name any other shape you find
FAQ
What notes are in Em7?
E, G, B, D: the 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7 of the Em7 minor 7th chord.
What is the difference between Em and Em7?
Em7 adds D, the flat 7th: E, G, B, D. In the open shapes, lifting the finger off string 4 lets the open D sound.