E Minor
Em
Notes
E · G · B
Intervals
- RootE (1P)
- Minor 3rdG (3m)
- Perfect 5thB (5P)
Fretboard
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
Voicings & shapes
CAGED shapes (3)
Triad inversions (9)
Spread / open triads (9)
About
The E minor triad (E–G–B) lowers the third by a half step, introducing a darker, more inward quality. It functions as the tonic of E minor or as ii in D major. The G is the defining tone — it is what separates minor from major and from any sus chord that omits the third entirely. On guitar, the fifth can be omitted or doubled freely; root and ♭3 together are sufficient to establish the minor sound. Minor chords commonly precede dominants (Em7→A7→DMaj7 as ii–V–I) or move within minor diatonic harmony. Compared to Edim, minor is stable due to its perfect fifth; compared to E, it carries a more subdued, reflective quality.
Chord diagrams
E Minor voicing charts — tap a sheet to open it full size to save or print.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- E Blues (deg 1)
- E Dorian (I)
- E Harmonic Minor (I)
- E Melodic Minor (I)
- E Minor Pentatonic (deg 1)
- E Natural Minor (I)
- E Phrygian (I)
- A Dorian (V)
- A Mixolydian (V)
- A Natural Minor (V)
- A♭ Diminished (deg 6)
- A♭ Harmonic Minor (VI)
- B Diminished (deg 4)
- B Harmonic Minor (IV)
- B Locrian (IV)
- B Natural Minor (IV)
- B Phrygian (IV)
- C Lydian (III)
- C Major (III)
- D Diminished (deg 2)
- D Dorian (II)
- D Major (II)
- D Melodic Minor (II)
- D Mixolydian (II)
- D♭ Blues (deg 2)
- D♭ Locrian (III)
- F Diminished (deg 8)
- F Lydian (VII)
- F♯ Locrian (VII)
- F♯ Phrygian (VII)
- G Lydian (VI)
- G Major (VI)
- G Major Pentatonic (deg 5)
- G Mixolydian (VI)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.