Em7 is E minor with a D added, and on the guitar that D is free: the open fourth string already plays it. So the easiest Em7 needs one finger, fewer than Em itself. The open shapes differ in one thing only, where the D sits. Low in the middle of the chord, it sounds wide and airy; on the second string, it sings. Learn both and choose by ear.
Em7 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: E minor seventh
- Symbol: Em7
- Notes: E, G, B, D
- Where it belongs: iii7 in C major, ii7 in D major, vi7 in G major, im7 in E minor, ivm7 in B minor
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Em7, one finger | 020000 | E B D G B E | The open D string adds the seventh. One finger, six strings, a wide open sound. |
| Em7, D on top | 022030 | E B E G D E | E minor plus D on the second string. The seventh sings near the top of the chord. |
| Em7, Wonderwall style | 022033 | E B E G D G | D and G on the two top strings. The third and fourth fingers stay at fret 3 for G, Dsus4 and A7sus4 too. |
| Em7, seventh fret | x79787 | E B D G B | The movable shape, root on the fifth string. The same grip gives any minor seventh. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
Em7 on the neck: every E, G, B, D
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Em7: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Em7.
Three ways to play Em7 in open position
1. One finger: 020000
Second finger on the fifth string (A) at fret 2. Strum all six strings.
You hear E, B, D, G, B, E. Compared with Em (022000), the
only change is that the fourth string is open: D instead of E.
2. D on the second string: 022030
Play a normal Em with the second and third fingers, then add the fourth finger on the second string (B) at fret 3. That note is D. Strum all six strings. This is the Em7 to use when you want the seventh to be heard.
3. D and G on top: 022033
Regroup the fingers: first finger on the fifth string at fret 2, second on the fourth string at fret 2, third on the second string at fret 3, fourth on the high E at fret 3. The top two strings play D and G. This is the voicing behind many strummed acoustic songs, because those two top notes can stay put while the bass moves underneath.
022000, then 020000, then 022030.
Listen for the D. Once you can hear it arrive, you can tell which chord a
song wants.
Em7, E7, Emaj7: not the same chord
| Chord | Notes | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Em7 | E, G, B, D | Minor, soft and open |
| E7 | E, G#, B, D | Dominant, tense, pulls toward A |
| Emaj7 | E, G#, B, D# | Major, dreamy |
The third decides minor or major: G or G#. The seventh decides the rest: D or D#. If you lower the B of Em7 to Bb, you get a fourth chord again, the Em7b5.
Progressions with Em7
| Progression | Shapes | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Em7, A7, Dmaj7 | 020000, x02020, xx0222 | The ii V I of D major, the most common move in jazz. |
| G, Em7, C, D | 320003, 022030, x32010, xx0232 | The I vi IV V of G, with a softer vi. |
| Em7, Cmaj7, G, D | 020000, x32000, 320003, xx0232 | Open strings everywhere: a ringing, folk sound. |
| Em7, A7, Dmaj7 (movable) | x79787, 5x565x, x57675 | The same pattern higher up, for when the open strings are too loud. |
The barre shape x79787 is the same grip as Dm7 at fret 5, moved
up two frets. Lay the first finger from the fifth string to the first at fret
7, and put the third finger on the fourth string at fret 9 and the second on
the second string at fret 8. The barre chords page shows how one grip covers every root.
Songs to hear Em7 in
Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here alternates Em7 and G in its verse grid, the clearest way to hear how close the two chords are. Oasis's Wonderwall opens on Em7, then G, Dsus4 and A7sus4, played with a capo on the second fret, and leans on the top two strings staying put from chord to chord.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Em7 on guitar?
What notes are in Em7?
What is the difference between Em7 and E7?
Can I play Em7 instead of Em?
Why does Em7 go so well with G?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.