E minor chord
- Emi
- Gsol
- Bti
Em chord notes
E minor stacks a minor third on its root and a major third on top, three semitones and then four. Only the middle note moves down from the major chord, and the sound turns darker. Chord charts write it as Em.
| Note | Interval from the root | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| Emi | Root1 | 0 |
| Gsol | Minor thirdb3 | 3 |
| Bti | Perfect fifth5 | 7 |
Em chord inversions
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Em's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.
Root position
E, G, B
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
First inversion
G, B, E
- Right hand
- 1-2-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
Second inversion
B, E, G
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-2-1
Keys that use Em
In these major keys Em is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.
- C majorIIIm
- D majorIIm
- G majorVIm
Piano practice that remembers
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What notes are in the Em chord?
E minor (Em) is E, G, B. In solfège that's mi, sol, ti.
Which fingers play Em?
In root position, the right hand plays 1-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.
How is Em different from the major chord?
Only the middle note. Lower the major chord's third by one semitone and you have Em, so you can switch between the two without moving your hand.