E minor seventh (Em7) chord on banjo

Looking for the Em7 chord on banjo? It is a minor seventh chord (a minor triad plus a minor seventh), made of four notes: E – G – B – D.

Dots show:

Basic shapeeasy

Position 5easy

Position 8easy

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

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What the Em7 chord sounds like

A minor seventh chord is softer than a plain minor chord – the minor seventh fills out the sound. In jazz it is the ii of the ii–V–I, in pop and soul a common colour chord.

Notes of the Em7 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	E	root
3	G	minor third (3 semitones)
5	B	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
7	D	minor seventh (10 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (D): open (D4)
String 2 (B): open (B3)
String 3 (G): open (G3)
String 4 (D): fret 2, index finger (E3)

Position 5, barre at fret 5

String 1 (D): fret 5, index finger (G4)
String 2 (B): fret 5, index finger (E4)
String 3 (G): open (G3)
String 4 (D): open (D3)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 5; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Position 8

String 1 (D): fret 9, ring finger (B4)
String 2 (B): fret 8, index finger (G4)
String 3 (G): fret 9, middle finger (E4)
String 4 (D): open (D3)

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The Em7 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

E minor: i7 (tonic)
A minor: v7 (dominant)
B minor: iv7 (subdominant)
C major: iii7
G major: vi7
D major: ii7

Similar chords and substitutes

If Em7 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Gmaj7 – relative major seventh: three shared notes
A7 – in a ii–V, this is the dominant that follows

Same notes

G6 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

Em – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

Em9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Em7 chord?

E, G, B, D. The root is E; the intervals of the other notes from the root: minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.

What is the easiest way to play Em7 on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”, rated easy. We show 3 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some Em7 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 4-note chord. The fifth (B) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without it.

How is the Em7 chord written?

The chord symbol is Em7, and its full name is E minor seventh.