Also written Em7 or Emin7
E minor 7th contains E, G, B, and D. The open voicing is advanced because it uses all six strings with no muting.
The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.
E minor 7th is built from 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7. The ♭7 adds a mellow edge to the minor triad. Compare it with E minor, which has no seventh.
E minor 7th works in the I–V–vi–IV progression in G major: G major–D major–E minor–C major. It suits rock, pop, and ballads.
The open voicing is the only position shown. It is the easiest to grab and sounds full and resonant.
E minor 7th is played in open position as 0 2 0 0 0 0: index finger on the A string at fret 2. The low E, D, G, B and high e strings ring open.
Tip — E minor 7th uses all six strings with no muting, so the index finger must arch cleanly over the D string.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
E minor 7th is played in open position as 0 2 0 0 0 3: index finger on the A string at fret 2 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 3. The low E, D, G and B strings ring open.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 2 | G (♭3) |
E minor 7th is played in open position as 0 2 0 0 3 0: index finger on the A string at fret 2 and middle finger on the B string at fret 3. The low E, D, G and high e strings ring open.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 2 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
E minor 7th is played in open position as 0 2 0 0 3 3: index finger on the A string at fret 2, middle finger on the B string at fret 3 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 3. The low E, D and G strings ring open.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 2 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 3 | G (♭3) |
E minor 7th is played in open position as 0 2 2 0 3 0: index finger on the A string at fret 2, middle finger on the D string at fret 2 and ring finger on the B string at fret 3. The low E, G and high e strings ring open.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 2 | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
E minor 7th is written as Emin7 or Em7.
E minor 7th adds the note D to the E minor triad. That D is a minor 7th above E, giving the chord a softer, more colorful sound.
All six open or fretted notes are chord tones, so no muting is needed. The low E is the root, giving a strong bass foundation.