Which strings do I strum for E minor seven?

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

What notes are in a E minor seven chord?

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

What chords go with Em7?

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

minor seventh chord

E minor seven chord on guitar

E minor with one finger lifted. Six open-sounding strings and the easiest chord on this list.

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Where the fingers go

1
middle finger, A string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A.
2
Leave the thick E, D, G, B, thin e strings open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
3
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 Em7

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

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

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 Em7’s neighbours. Most songs in Em7 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

Lifting the wrong finger

Keep the finger on the A string at fret 2. It is the D string finger that comes off.

Tip

One finger, six strings

Strum everything. Nothing is skipped.

Songs that use it

Songs in G and E minor, usually between Em and C.

England, 17th century
Scarborough Fair
Am, Em, D, Em7 · 104 beats per minute

In those songs, Em7 is followed by Am . Practise those changes first.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for E minor seven?: 6 strings, from the thick E string down to the thin e. All six ring.
What notes are in a E minor seven chord?: E, G, B, D. The E is the root, the note the chord is named after. The G makes it minor.
What chords go with Em7?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Am and Bm, and its relative major, G. Songs move between these because they share notes.