Chords in E Minor
Every chord in the key of E minor, the shapes to play them and the progressions guitarists actually use
E minor is home turf for guitar: the open low E string is the root, and almost every chord in the key can be played with open strings. The chords in the key of E minor are Em, F#dim, G, Am, Bm, C and D. Swap Bm for B7 when you want the strong pull back to Em that you hear in so many rock ballads and folk songs.
E minor shares all its notes with G major, its relative major. If you already know the chords in G, you know these too: only the home chord changes.
The E Minor Chord Chart
Build a triad on each note of the E natural minor scale (E F# G A B C D) and you get the chords below. Lowercase numerals are minor chords, uppercase are major, and the small circle marks the diminished chord.
| Numeral | Chord | Notes | 7th chord | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | E G B | Em7 | Tonic: the home chord |
| ii° | F#dim | F# A C | F#m7b5 | Leads to v (or V) |
| III | G | G B D | Gmaj7 | Relative major |
| iv | Am | A C E | Am7 | Moves away from home |
| v | Bm | B D F# | Bm7 | Mild pull to i (V7 is stronger) |
| VI | C | C E G | Cmaj7 | Bright lift, often before VII |
| VII | D | D F# A | D7 | Leads to III or back to i |
Want a softer, jazzier color? Use the seventh chords in the last column: Em7, Am7 and Cmaj7 are all easy open shapes.
How to Play Each Chord
These are the first shapes from each chord page. Only Bm and F#dim need a barre or a stretch, the rest are open chords you may already know. Click a diagram to see more voicings. The last one, B7, is not in the natural minor scale, but you will meet it in a lot of songs in E minor.
Listen: Em - Am - Bm - C
One bar of each, i-iv-v-VI. Notice how the C chord at the end lifts the mood before the loop drops back to Em.
3 Progressions to Play in E Minor
All three stay inside the chart above, except the Andalusian cadence, which ends on a B major chord.
i-VI-VII: Em - C - D
Three open chords and an epic sound. Em to C to D climbs back up to Em, and it is the backbone of countless rock and metal songs. Strum it with palm mutes on the low strings for a heavier feel.
Hear it in five keys, with songs that use it
Minor Circle of Fifths Loop: Em - Am - D - G
Em - Am - D - G (i-iv-VII-III)
Each chord moves to the next by a fifth: Em, Am, D, G. The last two chords borrow the strength of the relative major, which is why this loop sounds sad and hopeful at the same time. Add a B7 at the end of the last bar to turn it around.
Andalusian Cadence: Em - D - C - B
The bass walks down E, D, C, B, and the B major chord at the bottom pulls you straight back to Em. It is the sound of flamenco and of plenty of rock classics. Fingerpick it slowly to hear the descending line.
Full page: chords in five keys and songs
Playing in E Minor: Practical Tips
- Let the open strings ring. The low and high E strings belong to the key, so you can leave them open over Em, G and C for a full, shimmering sound.
- Bm is the chord that stops most beginners. If the barre is not there yet, play Bm7 (x20202) or use B7, which sounds even better when the next chord is Em.
- F#dim is rare as a plain triad. You will meet it more often as F#m7b5 in the minor ii-V-i: F#m7b5 - B7 - Em.
- For soloing, the E minor scale and the E minor pentatonic fit over every chord here.
Keep Exploring
- Chords in G major, the relative major key
- E minor scale on the fretboard
- How to find the key of a song
- Circle of fifths, to see how the keys connect
- Transpose chords to another key
- All chord progressions
Chords in other keys: G major · C major · D major · F major · A minor · A major · E major
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What chords are in the key of E minor?
The seven chords in E minor are Em (i), F#dim (ii°), G (III), Am (iv), Bm (v), C (VI) and D (VII). Many songs also use B or B7, the major V chord borrowed from the E harmonic minor scale.
Why do songs in E minor use B7 instead of Bm?
B7 contains D#, the leading tone a half step below E. That note pulls strongly back to the tonic, so B7 to Em sounds more final than Bm to Em.
What is the relative major of E minor?
G major. Both keys use the same seven notes and the same seven chords, the difference is which chord feels like home.
What are the easiest chords in E minor on guitar?
Em, G, Am, C and D are all open chords. Em - C - G - D covers a huge number of songs without a single barre.
