Which strings do I strum for E minor?

6 strings, from the thick E string down to the thin e. All six ring.

What notes are in a E minor chord?

E, G, B. The E is the root, the note the chord is named after. The G makes it minor.

What chords go with Em?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Am and Bm, and its relative major, G. Songs move between these because they share notes.

minor chord

E minor chord on guitar

Two fingers, six strings. The first chord most people ever play, and still one of the best.

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Where the fingers go

1
middle finger, A string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A.
2
ring finger, D string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D.
3
Leave the thick E, G, B, thin e strings open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
4
Strum 6 strings, from the thick E string down
All six strings belong to this chord.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in Em

A chord is three or four notes played together. E minor is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
E	root	thick E string, open; D string, fret 2; thin e string, open
G	minor third	G string, open
B	fifth	A string, fret 2; B string, open

The root, E, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds sad or thoughtful.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

Am and Bm are Em’s neighbours. Most songs in Em use one or both.
G is its relative major: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

Wrong two strings

The fingers go on the A and D strings, the second and third thickest, both at fret 2.

Tip

Add one finger for E major

Put the index on the G string at fret 1 and the sad chord turns bright.

Songs that use it

Songs in E minor and G. It is the relative minor of G: they share every note.

In those songs, Em is followed by Am F . Practise those changes first.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for E minor?: 6 strings, from the thick E string down to the thin e. All six ring.
What notes are in a E minor chord?: E, G, B. The E is the root, the note the chord is named after. The G makes it minor.
What chords go with Em?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Am and Bm, and its relative major, G. Songs move between these because they share notes.