Em9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)
From the bass on the 6th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios
Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.
The notes of Em9 are E, G, B, D and F#. E is the root, G the minor third, B the fifth, D the minor seventh and F# the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are E, G, B, D and F sharp.
From the low string to the high one you hear F#, B, E, D and G. The bass is F#, the ninth, not the root. That makes this shape an inversion.
You play Em9 with a barre at fret 2. String 3 is not played. Everything fits between frets 2 and 3. The second shape on this page starts at fret 2.
Em9 holds the whole G chord inside it, G, B and D. The change that keeps the most fingers still is to Em. One stays in place.
You will find Em9 in four different keys. In G major it is the vi9, in D major the ii9 and in E minor the i9. The rest appear in the key list.
E 1G ♭3B 5D ♭7F# 9
Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 2 (F#)
String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted
Placement tip: Barre fret 2. Press: 2nd String (B) at fret 3 with your Ring finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 3 with your Pinky finger. Don't play: 3rd String (G).
Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 2 with your Index finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 2 with your Middle finger. Play open: 6th String (Low E), 4th String (D), 3rd String (G), 2nd String (B).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 2 to 3 |
| Barre | fret 2, from the 6th to the 4th string |
| Fretting fingers | 3 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 3rd |
At fret 2, only the barre sounds the 6th, 5th, and 4th strings.
The 3rd string stays muted between strings that ring.
Listen: Em9 → Em · G · D
Em9 sits in the scale of 4 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Em9 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 6 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.
The primary bass note of the Em9 chord is its lowest pitch: F#. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 2.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Em9 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 formula (Minor Ninth). Its constituent pitches are E, G, B, D, F#.
To prevent fret buzz on the Em9 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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