The E Minor Chord is one of the easiest chords you'll learn - most beginner guitar players have no problem with it at all. But there are some tricks to make it even easier and prep you to play many other minor chords on the guitar!

For now, you should have a good idea about what minor chords are, so now let's get strumming and check out how we play the Em Chord and how it sounds. :)

How To Play The E Minor Chord

It's time to lift off one finger! Follow this 3-step guide below to play the Em Chord on guitar:

Start with positioning yourself for playing the E Major Chord. You should already be familiar with it! :)
Lift your 1st finger (index) off of the 3rd string, and strum your guitar. To play the Em chord, you should strum all the strings.
You've just played the E Minor chord! Do you hear the difference between the E Minor and the E Major chords?

Use the chord diagram below as a reference for your finger placement for the E Minor chord:

The E Minor Chord box diagram for beginner guitar players.

Here's how the Em Chord looks like when I'm playing it:

Em Chord: Mistakes to Avoid!

I know I said that the E Minor chord is super easy and straightforward to play, but it's essential not to mute the 3rd string with your 3rd finger. If your 3rd finger touches the 3rd string, it won't sound like you're playing the minor chord but the regular E chord.

To avoid this mistake, make sure you know how to position your fingers on the guitar fretboard. The correct finger placement on the string will make your life way easier. :)

How Does E Minor Sound Like?

If you're wondering how the E minor chord should sound like, play this audio example as a guide. It should sound just like it! :)

Alternative Guitar Fingering

To start with, you should get a good sound Em Chord using your 2nd and 3rd fingers. With practice, make them your go-to fingers for the E minor chord. Don't forget to take the time to include this chord on your 1-Minute Changes Exercise routine - even if you feel it's an easy grip!

Once you're confident with the chord changes using regular fingering, you can experiment with alternative fingers as well. You can do this with the 1st and 2nd fingers or the 3rd and 4th fingers. Here are some images showing this alternative guitar fingering for the E Minor chord:

As you practice, you'll find out which fingering is most comfortable for you! It'll depend on the chords you play before and after the E Minor chord. Change your fingering based on the song you're playing on the guitar.

That sums up how to play the E minor chord on the guitar. Next lesson, we’ll explore how to play the A Minor chord! :)