How to Play the Em Chord on the Guitar

The E minor chord, or Em, is made of up of the notes E, G, and B. You can play it with only two fingers and, as part of the key of E minor, it has a deep, melancholy sound to it. This article will teach you the proper finger position to use to play the chord.

1

Place your middle finger on the 5th string, second fret.

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^{[1]XResearch source} Place your middle finger just to the left of the second fret (for right-handed guitarists), as near to the fret as possible so that you get a clean, clear tone.

2

Place your ring finger on the 4th string, second fret.

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Your ring finger simply goes right underneath your middle, holding the second fret on the D string. This is the third string from the top. Again, keep your finger near that second fret, but still on the head-side of the guitar.^{[2]XResearch source}
- The head of the guitar is the small piece at the end of the neck with the tuning knobs.

3

Leave the other strings open.

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Make sure you use the tips of your fingers on the frets so that you don't accidentally mute the lower strings -- you want them free to ring out.^{[3]XResearch source}

4

Strum all the strings at once.

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However, for a deeper, darker sound, limit yourself to just the top four strings or so. For a lighter sound, like in many ska and reggae songs, just play the bottom 3-4 strings.

5

Alternatively, remove your index finger from an E major chord.

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This is a more advanced way to get to the Em instantly. If you already know how to play an E-major chord, you can get to the Em by simply lifting your index finger off the first fret.^{[4]XResearch source} Your final chord will look like:
- --0--
- --0--
- --0--
- --2--
- --2--
- --0--^{[5]XResearch source}

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Question
Which string do I play when strumming in Em?
Community Answer
For the entire E minor chord, you strum every string, but you have to put your first finger on the second fret on the A string, and put your second finger on the second fret on the D string.
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Where can I learn guitar in Esher?
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It's better if you learn on your own by using online tutorials.
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Method 2 and Method 1 are the same chord? Do the different methods sound different?
Coco Shu
Community Answer
On many instruments, there is more than one way to play the same chord. Methods 2 and 1 are different fingering, but the sound and chord are exactly the same.
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