Minor 7th chord · E root
Em7 chord
- E1
- G♭3
- B5
- D♭7
The E minor 7th chord is built from the notes E, G, B, D. It turns up 31 times in the 104 songs on this site, including Iris and Redemption Song.
By Chiye · Updated
What is the Em7 chord?
The Em7 chord (E minor 7th) is a minor 7th chord built from four notes: E, G, B, D — the 1–♭3–5–♭7 of the E scale, 3 semitones and 7 semitones and 10 semitones above the root. On guitar it is most often played in open position (0-2-0-0-0-0) with 1 fretted string while 5 strings ring open. It is rated beginner — most players learn it in their first weeks. The smooth workhorse of funk, R&B and lo-fi. Across the 104 song sheets in this site's library, Em7 appears 31 times in 6 songs, most often in the keys of G and Bb, and the chord it most often moves to is G. Below you will find step-by-step fingering, 3 positions up the neck, audio of every shape, and the real progressions this chord lives inside.
How do you play the Em7 chord on guitar?
Open position — the easiest version of Em7 on the guitar.
- Press the A string at fret 2 with your middle finger.
- Strum all six strings and let every one ring.
If it buzzes, the usual cause is a fingertip sitting in the middle of the fret space instead of just behind the wire. Move the whole hand a few millimetres toward the bridge and the buzz usually disappears without any extra pressure. 0-2-0-0-0-0
How do you make Em7 sound clean?
The one-finger Em7 shown here releases the D string from Em to open D. Keep the A string at fret 2 and let the other strings ring open.
Alternate Em and Em7 while strumming slowly. Lift and replace the finger on the D string, listening to E change to D.
In real songs
What songs use the Em7 chord?
- chord changes
- 31
- songs
- 6
- common keys
- G · Bb
Across the 104 chord sheets on this site, Em7 appears 31 times in 6 songs — most often in the keys of G and Bb.
All 6 songs that use Em7— key, capo and a link to every sheet
| Song | Artist | Key | Capo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iris | Goo Goo Dolls | D | — |
| Redemption Song | Bob Marley | G | — |
| Teardrops on My Guitar | Taylor Swift | Bb | 3 |
| Wish You Were Here | Pink Floyd | G | — |
| Wonderwall | Oasis | F#m | 2 |
| Your Song | Elton John | Eb | 1 |
Chord flow
What chord comes after Em7?
Those figures are counted from the 104 chord sheets on this site, so they describe what songwriters actually played rather than what theory says should come next.
Three-chord moves
Three-chord moves are where a chord really shows its character. These are the ones that actually happen in this library, counted from the sheets:
What other ways can you play Em7 up the neck?
2 more positions below. These are the same notes in a different part of the neck. Choosing the position closest to the chord you just played is what stops your hand jumping between changes.
Position 2 · Fret 2 barre
Every note here is fretted, which means the shape transposes anywhere on the neck without changing your fingers.
The barre is the only hard part of this shape. Keep the bar finger straight and use the weight of your arm rather than the grip of your thumb.
Position 3 · Fret 7 barre
No open strings, so this is a movable shape: slide it up or down and the same fingering gives you a different chord name.
One bar does most of the work. Roll that finger onto its bony edge and pull the elbow slightly in — a barre that buzzes is almost always a position problem, not a strength problem.
The theory behind Em7
Em7 is spelled E – G – B – D — the 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7 of the E scale, which is the root plus 3 semitones, 7 semitones, 10 semitones. The smooth workhorse of funk, R&B and lo-fi.
The flat seventh softens the minor third, which is why m7 chords sit comfortably under a vocal. In practice you will use Em7 far more often than the plain minor triad in anything funky or jazzy.
Em7 on other instruments
E – G – B – D — all white keys, so you can find the shape by counting up from C.
Take it to the practice room
