Em7 chord on guitar

Em7 is the E minor seventh chord, made of the notes E G B D. Most guitarists play it as 0 2 0 0 0 0, an open chord. Below are all 6 ways to hold Em7 on the guitar, from the lowest on the neck to the highest, and the same chord in Drop D and DADGAD. The TabTunix app plays each one. Check out our full chord library.

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1fr1
Em7

0 2 0 0 0 0

Notes

Degrees: R b3 5 b7. Notes: E G B D.

Tuning

Inversions

Voicings

How to play Em7

The shape most players use is 0 2 0 0 0 0, from the lowest string to the highest. Hold it like this:

  1. Put your index finger on the A string at fret 2.
  2. Let the low E, D, G, B and high E strings ring open.
1fr1
Em7
0 2 0 0 0 0

6 ways to play Em7

Every shape the chord library holds for Em7 in standard tuning, from low on the neck to high. In each one E is the lowest note; they differ in where your hand sits and in which strings ring.

More shapes, for every chord: all guitar chords.

  • 1fr1
    Em7
    0 2 0 0 0 0
    open shape
  • 1fr1423
    Em7
    X X 2 4 3 3
    closed shape at fret 2
  • 5fr234
    Em7
    X 7 5 7 5 7
    barre at fret 5
  • 7fr32
    Em7
    X 7 9 7 8 7
    barre at fret 7
  • 10fr2134
    Em7
    12 10 12 12 X X
    closed shape at fret 10
  • 12fr3
    Em7
    12 14 12 12 12 12
    barre at fret 12

The notes in Em7

Rb35b7
EGBD

A minor seventh chord is the root, the minor third, the fifth and the minor seventh: R b3 (5) b7. The fifth can be left out.

Put another of its notes in the bass and Em7 becomes an inversion, written with a slash: Em7/G, Em7/B and Em7/D. Below, the first shape of each.

  • 1fr21
    Em7/G
    3 2 0 0 0 0
  • 1fr1
    Em7/B
    X 2 0 0 0 0
  • 1fr
    Em7/D
    X X 0 0 0 0

Keys and progressions with Em7

Em7 is one of the chords of these keys, with its number in each. The chords of a key are the chords built on the notes of its scale.

  • iii7 in C major
  • ii7 in D major
  • vi7 in G major
  • i7 in E minor
  • v7 in A minor
  • iv7 in B minor

It stands in these chord progressions of the app, in the key each opens in:

  • Royal Road in C major: Fmaj7, G7, Em7, Am
  • Circle Turnaround in C major: Em7, Am7, Dm7, G7, Cmaj7

Em7 in Drop D, Drop C, Drop B and DADGAD

  • In Drop D, Em7 is 2 2 0 0 0 0, where Standard has 0 2 0 0 0 0.
  • In Drop C, Em7 is 4 4 2 2 2 2, where Standard has 0 2 0 0 0 0.
  • In Drop B, Em7 is 5 5 3 3 3 3, where Standard has 0 2 0 0 0 0.
  • In DADGAD, Em7 is 2 2 0 0 2 0, where Standard has 0 2 0 0 0 0.

More on each tuning: Drop D, Drop C, Drop B and DADGAD, all under guitar tunings.

  • 1fr12
    Em7 in Drop D
    2 2 0 0 0 0
  • 1fr34
    Em7 in Drop C
    4 4 2 2 2 2
  • 3fr34
    Em7 in Drop B
    5 5 3 3 3 3
  • 1fr123
    Em7 in DADGAD
    2 2 0 0 2 0

Get the change up to tempo

A chord is yours when you can change to it in time. In TabTunix, put Em7 and the chord before it into a chord-change exercise, set a target tempo, and play the change to a click that counts you through it. Rate each take, and the app keeps your best tempo, so you see it climb.

More on how to change chords faster.

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Questions about Em7

E, G, B and D. As degrees they are R b3 (5) b7: the root, the minor third, the fifth and the minor seventh.