G# minor is the chord that ambushes you. You pick a song in E or in B, everything looks open and friendly, and then G#m turns up. There is no open position for it, but it is the friendliest of the barre chords: the E minor shape at fret 4, with only two fingers above the barre. Its notes are G#, B and D#.
G#m chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: G sharp minor
- Symbol: G#m
- Notes: G#, B, D#
- Where it belongs: iii in E major, ii in F# major, vi in B major, iv in D# minor, i in G# 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| G#m, three strings | xxx444 | B D# G# | One finger across the top three strings at fret 4. Complete, with B as the lowest note: light, but a real G# minor. |
| G#m, four strings | xx6444 | G# B D# G# | Adds G# on the D string with the third finger. The easiest G#m with the root at the bottom. |
| G#m, barre at the fourth fret | 466444 | G# D# G# B D# G# | The standard G#m: the open E minor shape barred at fret 4. Only two fingers above the barre. |
| G#m, barre at the eleventh fret | x 11 13 13 12 11 | G# D# G# B D# | The A minor shape at fret 11: second finger on the B string at fret 12, third and fourth fingers on the fourth and third strings at fret 13. |
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.
G#m on the neck: every G#, B, D#
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of G#m: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still G#m.
How to play G#m, from easy to full
1. One finger: xxx444
Lay the first finger flat across the G, B and high E strings at fret 4. Strum only those three. B, D# and G# ring together: a complete G#m with no stretch at all. Good when the chord lasts a beat or two.
2. Add the root: xx6444
Keep the small barre and put the third finger on the D string at fret 6. Now G# is in the bass and the chord sounds like itself. Strum from the D string; the two bass strings stay out.
3. The full barre: 466444
Extend the first finger across all six strings at fret 4, then place the third finger on the A string at fret 6 and the fourth on the D string at fret 6. The third string, the one the barre plays alone, carries B, the minor third. If the chord sounds hollow, check that string first: it is the one most often muted by the crease of the first finger. Roll the finger slightly onto its bony side.
G#m, G#, Gm: do not mix them up
| Chord | Notes | Barre shape |
|---|---|---|
| G#m | G#, B, D# | 466444 |
| G# (major) | G#, B#, D# | 466544 |
| Gm | G, Bb, D | 355333 |
G#m and G# differ by one note on the G string: fret 4 for the minor, fret 5 for the major. G#m and Gm are the same shape, one fret apart. The G# chord and the G minor chord each have a page.
Where G#m shows up, and the capo shortcut
In the key of E, G#m is the iii chord, between F#m and A. In the key of B, it is the vi, the relative minor. Both keys are common on guitar, which is why this chord turns up so often uninvited.
Jason Mraz's I'm Yours is in B on the record: B, F#, G#m, E. I'm Yours is usually played with a capo on fret 4 and open shapes:
| Shape you play | G | D | Em | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sounds as, capo 4 | B | F# | G#m | E |
Frequently asked questions
How do you play G#m on guitar?
How do you play G# minor without a barre?
What notes are in a G# minor chord?
What key is G#m in?
Why do so many songs with G#m use a capo?
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.