Chords in the Key of E Minor: Chords, Progressions and Songs

E minor is the darker twin of the guitar's home key. Its root is the lowest open string, its home chord is the easiest chord on the guitar, and nearly every other chord in the key is an easy open shape. That combination makes E minor a favorite for acoustic ballads, folk, rock riffs and heavy metal alike.

This guide covers the chords in E minor, why B7 is the secret ingredient, the progressions and riffs to try, and how E minor relates to G major.

The chords in the key of E minor

The E natural minor scale is E F# G A B C D, the same notes as G major starting on E. Its chords:

Number	Chord	Type	Notes
i	Em	Minor	E G B
ii°	F#dim	Diminished	F# A C
III	G	Major	G B D
iv	Am	Minor	A C E
v	Bm	Minor	B D F#
VI	C	Major	C E G
VII	D	Major	D F# A

How to play the chords in E minor

Em, G, Am, C and D are open chords you may already know. Bm is shown in its easy four-string form, and F#dim is rarely used in songs. Hear each chord in our free chord library.

The B7 secret

Just as songs in A minor borrow E7, songs in E minor very often use B7 instead of Bm. B7 contains D#, which sits one fret below E and pulls strongly back home. It's also an open chord, so it's easier than Bm.

Compare Em – Am – Bm – Em with Em – Am – B7 – Em. The second sounds finished and satisfying. Em – Am – B7 – Em is the classic minor cadence of folk, Spanish-flavored music and countless rock ballads.

Common progressions in E minor

Progression	Numbers	Feel
Em – C – G – D	i – VI – III – VII	Modern emotional pop
Em – Am – B7 – Em	i – iv – V7 – i	Classic minor cadence
Em – D – C – B7	i – VII – VI – V7	The Andalusian cadence: dramatic
Em – C – D – Em	i – VI – VII – i	Rock and metal anthem
Em – G – D – Am	i – III – VII – iv	Folk-rock
Em – D – Em	i – VII – i	Celtic and modal folk

The Em – C – G – D progression uses the same four chords as the famous G – D – Em – C pop progression, just starting from Em. That one change of starting point is the difference between hopeful and heartbroken. Our guide to sad chord progressions explains why.

E minor riffs

E minor is the riff key. The open low E gives you a ringing bass note to play against. Here's a simple riff using notes from the E minor scale:

e|-----------------------|
B|-----------------------|
G|-----------------------|
D|-------------2---0-----|
A|-------2--3-----3---2--|
E|-0--0------------------|

Play it slowly with down-picks, then add a little palm muting on the low E. For more on reading this notation, see how to read guitar tabs. Power chords also sound huge in E minor: try E5, C5, D5 and back to E5 with distortion. Our power chords guide shows the shapes, and palm muting adds the chug.

E minor and G major

E minor is the relative minor of G major: same notes, same chords. A song that keeps returning to Em is in E minor; one that returns to G is in G major. Many songs move between them, with verses in E minor and choruses that open up to G. See chords in the key of G for the major side.

Variations in E minor

• Em7: softer and more open (shown above). Lovely in acoustic ballads.
• Cmaj7: lift your index finger from C for a dreamy VI chord.
• Am7: lift your ring finger from Am.
• Dsus2 or D/F#: decorate the VII chord or walk the bass from G down to Em. See slash chords.
• A major instead of Am: borrowing A gives a brighter, folkier "Dorian" sound, common in Celtic and rock music.

E minor shapes in other minor keys

Capo fret	Sounds in	Em – C – G – D becomes
2	F# minor	F#m – D – A – E
3	G minor	Gm – Eb – Bb – F
5	A minor	Am – F – C – G
7	B minor	Bm – G – D – A

With a capo, your easy E minor chords play songs in harder minor keys. See how to use a capo.

How to practice the key of E minor

1. Play Em – C – G – D with four strums each. Then two strums each.
2. Learn B7 and play Em – Am – B7 – Em until the B7 change is smooth.
3. Try the Andalusian cadence: Em – D – C – B7.
4. Play the riff above, then make up your own using the same notes.
5. Fingerpick Em and B7 slowly; minor keys sound beautiful picked. See fingerpicking for beginners.

Related keys

A minor is the other great open minor key, with the same "borrowed V7" trick: see chords in the key of A minor. For all minor chord shapes on the neck, see minor chords on guitar.

Soloing in E minor

The E minor pentatonic scale (E, G, A, B, D) in open position is a natural fit: most of it uses open strings and the first three frets. The same box at the 12th fret works too. For more melodic lines, the E natural minor scale adds F# and C. When the progression hits B7, try D# (one fret below E) to follow the chord. Our guide to guitar scales for beginners shows these shapes.

Common mistakes in E minor

• Bm instead of B7 at the end of a phrase: if the return to Em feels weak, use B7.
• Letting the low E ring through every chord: on C, D and Am, avoid the low E string.
• A dull Em: check that your fingers aren't touching the open G string.
• Riffs that sound messy: mute the strings you're not playing with the side of your picking hand.

Writing a song in E minor

A simple structure: a verse on Em – C – G – D, played gently, and a chorus that brightens by starting on G: G – D – Em – C. Same chords, different starting point, and the chorus suddenly feels hopeful. End the song on Em, or on B7 for an unresolved, haunting finish. Hum a melody using notes from the E minor pentatonic scale and you'll have the bones of a song.

Quick reference

• Main chords: Em, C, G, D, Am.
• The secret ingredient: B7 for a strong return to Em.
• Relative major: G.
• Riff scale: E minor pentatonic in open position.
• Capo shortcut: capo 5 turns these shapes into A minor; capo 7 into B minor.

A simple fingerpicking pattern in E minor

E minor sounds lovely picked. Try this on Em – C – G – D: pluck the chord's bass note with your thumb (the low E string for Em and G, the A string for C, the D string for D), then pluck the G, B and high e strings one at a time with your index, middle and ring fingers. Do it twice per chord, slowly, and let the notes ring into each other. Over the Em – Am – B7 – Em cadence, the same pattern gives a classic folk-ballad sound. Our guide to fingerpicking for beginners has more patterns to try.

Fretwork's path teaches Em in its free first stages and B7 soon after, along with the simple riffs and theory that make minor keys click. The first two stages are free, no card required.

Frequently asked questions