Em7 chord on piano
The Em7 chord, or E minor 7th, stacks 4 notes on E: E, G, B and D. Musicians write its formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7.
Notes and intervals of Em7
Each note of Em7 has a job. Counted from the root, you get root (E), minor 3rd (G), perfect 5th (B) and minor 7th (D). Change one of these intervals and you get a different chord, which is why the formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 is worth memorising rather than the shape alone.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | E |
| ♭3 | minor 3rd | G |
| 5 | perfect 5th | B |
| ♭7 | minor 7th | D |
How to play Em7 on piano
Put your right-hand thumb on E, then add the other notes: E, G, B and D. Teachers usually suggest the fingering 1-2-3-5 (left hand: 5-3-2-1). Press the keys together, release, and repeat until the chord sounds even.
Inversions of Em7
An inversion keeps the same notes but puts another one in the bass. Em7 has 3 inversions besides root position: 1st inversion (G B D E), 2nd inversion (B D E G) and 3rd inversion (D E G B). Inversions let you move between chords with tiny hand movements, which is how pianists make progressions sound smooth.
Which keys use Em7?
Em7 appears naturally in 3 major keys: G major (vi7), D major (ii7) and C major (iii7). In G major it is the vi7 chord, so you will meet it in many songs written in that key and in its relative minor.
Scales to play over Em7
These scales share every note of Em7: E natural minor scale, E minor pentatonic scale, E blues scale, E Dorian mode and E Phrygian mode. E natural minor scale is the safest choice; the others add more colour.
About minor 7th chords
A minor triad plus a minor seventh: 1 ♭3 5 ♭7. Softer and more open than a plain minor chord, the minor seventh is mellow, slightly melancholic and has no urge to resolve. It contains a major triad on its ♭3, which is why it sounds warm rather than dark. For example Am7: A C E G, with C E G inside.
It sits naturally on ii, iii and vi of a major key, and on i, iv and v of the natural minor. Its star role is the ii7 of the ii-V-I: ii7 V7 Imaj7 (for example Dm7 G7 Cmaj7). Funk and soul vamp on one m7 for minutes, and pop uses vi7 and ii7 to soften plain triads.
Root position 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 works fine, but jazz pianists often play the root and ♭7 in the left hand and the ♭3 and 5 (or ♭3, 5, 9) in the right. In ii7 V7 I, voice-lead: the ♭3 of ii7 stays as the ♭7 of V7, and the ♭7 of ii7 slides down a semitone to the 3 of V7.
m7 is not m(maj7): Am7 has G, Am(maj7) has G♯. Do not confuse it with m7♭5 either: lower the fifth and you get a half-diminished chord with a much tenser role. Finally, a m7 chord has the same four notes as the 6 chord on its ♭3 (Am7 and C6): the bass note decides which one you hear.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the Em7 chord?
Em7 (E minor 7th) contains E, G, B and D. In intervals: root (E), minor 3rd (G), perfect 5th (B) and minor 7th (D).
How do you play Em7 on piano?
Play E, G, B and D together with the right-hand fingering 1-2-3-5. You can also play it in 3 inversions, shown on this page.
What scale goes with Em7?
E natural minor scale fits Em7 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: E minor pentatonic scale, E blues scale, E Dorian mode and E Phrygian mode.
What key is Em7 in?
Em7 belongs to G major (vi7), D major (ii7) and C major (iii7). In G major it is the vi7 chord.
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