Looking for Em?
E#m guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - m - i - m · Alternating Folk (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)
The 1st string repeats the F of the 6th. This pattern leaves it out. All 6 arpeggios
Alternating picking with steady pulse.
Play E#m one string at a time and you hear E#, G# and B#. E# is the root, G# the minor third and B# the fifth. Said aloud, its notes are E sharp, G sharp and B sharp.
From the low string to the high one you hear E#, B#, E#, G#, B# and E#. Of the six strings you play, three give E#, the note that names the chord. The lowest and highest notes are both E#, two octaves apart, on strings 6 and 1.
For E#m, your index finger barres fret 1. Everything fits between frets 1 and 3. The second shape on this page starts at fret 8.
E# is one change away. String 3 moves from fret 1 to fret 2, bringing in G##, the major third of E#. It shares two notes with G#, G# and B#. Going to C, two positions stay the same. It can also be written Fm, and it sounds the same.
You will find E#m in five different keys. In G# major it is the vi, in D# major the ii and in C# major the iii. The rest appear in the key list.
E# 1G# ♭3B# 5
Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 1 (F)
String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator
Placement tip: Barre fret 1. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 3, 4th String (D) at fret 3.
Placement tip: Barre fret 8. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 10, 3rd String (G) at fret 10, 2nd String (B) at fret 9. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 1 to 3 |
| Barre | fret 1, from the 6th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 3 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | none |
At fret 1, only the barre sounds the 6th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings.
Listen: E#m → Fm · C · C7
E#m sits in the scale of 5 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the E#m chord on guitar, all 6 strings are played from the 6th string (Low E) to the 1st string (High E). Arch your finger joints perpendicular to the fretboard so adjacent strings ring clearly.
The primary bass note of the E#m chord is its lowest pitch: F. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 1.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The E#m chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 formula (Minor Triad). Its constituent pitches are E#, G#, B#.
To prevent fret buzz on the E#m barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
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