How to play Em (E Minor) on Ukulele
Diagram, notes, and audio for the Em chord on ukulele. Free in your browser.
About Em on ukulele
E minor on the ukulele has multiple voicings. The most common beginner shape is three fingers across the bottom three strings: ring on the 4th fret of the G string, middle on the 3rd fret of the C, index on the 2nd fret of the E, with the open A. The notes are E, G, B. A simpler alternative places the index on the 2nd fret of the E string and uses the open G, C, A — a partial-voicing Em that sounds thin but is easy.
Em is the i chord in E minor (one sharp: F#) and the vi chord in G major. On ukulele, Em pairs naturally with G, C, and D — the diatonic palette of G major. The vi-IV-I-V loop (Em-C-G-D) is the most-used four-chord pop progression of recent decades, and it sits comfortably under one ukulele hand once Em is learned.
Famous ukulele songs in or around Em include Iz's Somewhere Over the Rainbow medley (which modulates), Riptide (which uses Em as part of its loop), and countless campfire ballads. Because Em is the relative minor of G major, ukulele players who already know G, C, and D have an instant minor-key vocabulary by adding Em as a vi chord.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the easiest Em on ukulele?
- The simplest version uses just the index on the 2nd fret of the E string with the other strings open. It loses some of the chord's depth but works for beginner accompaniment.
- What three notes are in E minor on ukulele?
- E, G, and B — root, minor third, perfect fifth.
- How does Em relate to G major?
- Em is G major's relative minor — they share the same key signature and most of their chord palette. Switching the home note from G to E flips a major-key song into a minor-key one without changing chords.
Switch instruments
See Em on a different instrument — same chord, new diagram.