Em7 guitar chord
How to play Em7 on guitar — the notes E, G, B, D, a shape you can tap to hear, the keys it lives in, and a progression to hear it in context. Free.
The shape
Tap the diagram to hear Em7 strummed. Em7 is an open chord — it uses open strings near the nut, so it rings full and is friendly for beginners.
The notes in Em7
A minor seventh chord is spelled from its root up: E (R), G (♭3), B (5), D (♭7). Those are the only notes in Em7 — play them in any order, in any octave, and it's still Em7.
What a minor seventh chord is
In plain terms, a minor 7th adds a flat seventh to a minor chord (root, ♭3, 5th, ♭7) — a minor chord with the edges rounded off.
How it's used: The ii, iii and vi of a major key, and the i, iv and v of a minor key. The ii chord in a ii–V–I is almost always a m7.
The sound: Smooth, cool, mellow — minor without the gloom. Where you'll hear it: Jazz, funk, soul, R&B, and the pre-dominant chord in a jazz cadence.
Hear Em7 in a progression
A cool minor vamp: i7–iv7. Press play, and drag the Key control to move it anywhere.
Keys that use Em7
Em7 appears naturally in these keys — click any to see all seven of its chords and how Em7 fits in:
Other E chords
minor seventh chords on other roots
Chords and their spellings are shared facts of music theory. Every diagram and sound here is generated by ThunderFret's own engine — no tabs, lyrics or recordings are reproduced.
Open Em7 in the interactive tool to see every place it sits on the neck, hear it, and find the shape that fits your hand — free.
See Em7 on the fretboardFrequently asked
What notes are in Em7?
Em7 is made of 4 notes: E (the R), G (the ♭3), B (the 5), D (the ♭7).
How do you play Em7 on guitar?
Em7 is an open chord — it uses open strings near the nut, so it rings full and is friendly for beginners.
What key is Em7 in?
Em7 is a diatonic chord in 6 keys, including the iii of C major. See all of them below.