As a beginner, you may be dabbling in a mix of easy and more complex chords. If you ever get hung up on the challenges with learning more complicated chords, why not take a break and learn another chord on the easier side? The E minor 7th chord, or Em7, is perfect! This chord only takes two fingers and is fairly easy to switch to and from other chords. Let’s jump right in!

Em7: Four Notes, Two Fingers

The Em7 chord consists of the notes G-D-E-B. “Say what?! I thought you said it only takes two fingers,” you may be thinking to yourself. Yes, it requires only two fingers on two notes, the D and B notes or C and A strings. The G and E notes are on the G and E strings and don’t require any fingers, but they are still notes in the chord. When you strum the E minor 7 chord, you will strum all four strings, thus hitting all four notes (the two you don’t have fingers on and the two you do). You may see this written in notation as 0202.

Play the Em7 Chord

To play the Em7 chord, place the middle finger on the second fret of the C string and place your ring finger on the second fret of the A string. That’s it! Alternatively, you can also use your index finger and middle finger. While there will always be suggestions for which fingers to use on certain strings, ultimately, you will want to play what feels most comfortable to you.

Practicing the Em7 Chord

Practice the Em7 chord repeatedly on its own. Practice putting the index finger on, and then your middle or ring, depending on your preference. If this seems boring after a few times, play the chord with other chords. You can use the C Major Scale to improvise and make up short melodies or even full songs. The C Major Scale consists of the notes C-D-E-F-G-A-B. To begin, start with just two notes, the C and Em7. Practice switching between those two chords. How does it feel? How does it sound? Notice how one finger stays on the A string while your other finger comes off the C string as you move from Em7 to C. Next, try another note, like F. Practice moving between F and Em7. You can even combine all three notes and begin creating your very first song. Have some fun with it!

Read more: Learn the Ukulele Strings Order and HOW TO correctly tune them

Chord FAQ’s

What are the notes in the E mini 7 chord?

The notes in the Em7 chord are G-D-E-B.

What fingers should I use?

To play the Em7 chord, use your index and middle or index and ring fingers.

How can I practice the Em7 chord?

Practice the Em7 chord by playing it repeatedly. Alternatively, you can also practice playing the Em7 with other chords in the C Major Scale.

Conclusion

The Em7 chord is a perfect chord to add to your toolbox of beginner chords. You may want to memorize it to be comfortable recognizing and playing it when you see it on a song sheet. For more tips, check out this video by Terry Carter, founder of Uke Like the Pros: Tips on How to Memorize Ukulele Chords. You can also check out the Uke Like the Pros memberships at www.ukelikethepros.com for courses, techniques, song tutorials, and more. Congratulate yourself on learning the Em7 chord! Being familiar with this chord will help you play more songs and even create your own. And all it takes is two fingers!