Em Ukulele Chord
Trying to get the Em chord under your fingers? It is a three-finger shape, a little fiddly at first but it settles fast. Your fingers go on the C, E and A strings. The steps below show exactly where each one sits.
- Notes: E, G and B
- Frets: 0 4 3 2
- Tuning: g C E A
Em ukulele chord details
- Type
- Minor triad
- Also known as
- E minor
- Formula
- 1 b3 5
- Intervals
- E (root), G (minor 3rd), B (perfect 5th)
- Notes
- E, G and B
- Frets
- 0 4 3 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Tuning
- Standard (g C E A)
How to play the Em chord
Here is the Em chord step by step:
- Put your ring finger on the 4th fret of the C string.
- Put your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the E string.
- Put your index finger on the 2nd fret of the A string.
- Leave the g string open.
- Strum all four strings.
Take it slowly the first few times and it will start to feel natural. New to these grids? Have a look at how to read a ukulele chord diagram.
What notes are in the Em chord?
The Em chord is built from three notes: E, G and B (the root, minor 3rd and perfect 5th). On the ukulele the G is doubled, so you get a nice full sound. That flattened third is what gives a minor chord its softer, more wistful feel next to a bright major. Curious which chords sit together in a song? See which chords share a key.
Ukulele songs that use the Em chord
- Twenty One PilotsCan’t Help Falling In Love
- Israel Kamakawiwo'oleSomewhere Over The Rainbow / What A Wonderful World
- Leonard CohenHallelujah
- Cristin MiliotiLa Vie En Rose
- Frank SinatraFly Me To The Moon
- Bruno MarsCount On Me
- Twenty One PilotsThe Judge
- Israel Kamakawiwo'oleSomewhere Over The Rainbow
- Billie Eilishidontwannabeyouanymore
- PassengerLet Her Go
The Em chord belongs to C Major (the iii), G Major (the vi), D Major (the ii), A Minor (the v), E Minor (the i) and B Minor (the iv). Each key page shows the rest of that family, the progressions that use it and songs to play.
Want to go further?
Once Em feels comfortable, its close relatives are worth exploring: try E7, Emaj7, E and Esus4. Em pairs most often with A, B and Dbm, so the few basic chords next to it go a long way. When that feels good, work on switching between chords faster. When you are ready, try some easy ukulele songs.