E minor 7th chord on piano
The E minor 7th chord is E–G–B–D. Tap the keys below to hear it.
Em7E · G · B · D
Tap the keys to hear them
The E minor 7 chord sits between sad and content. The added 7th softens the minor triad's edge, which suits richer and more mellow progressions.
How the E minor 7th chord is built
Fingerings & inversions
Standard fingerings use the thumb (1), the little finger (5), and either the index (2) or middle finger (3). Hand size and musical context change what feels natural. Switch Fingers on above to see 1-2-3-5 land for Em7.
| Position | Notes (bottom → top) | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | E – G – B – D | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 1st inversion | G – B – D – E | 1-2-4-5 | 5-4-2-1 |
| 2nd inversion | B – D – E – G | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 3rd inversion | D – E – G – B | 1-2-4-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
Inversion diagrams
The inversion buttons above play all 4 shapes of Em7.
Where Em7 shows up
Em7 is built on E minor, the relative minor of G major. The key of E minor has one sharp. Em7 works as the ii7 in D and the iii7 in C, the roles that put it at the front of jazz and soul progressions.
Jazz players know it as the start of Em7–A7–Dmaj7, the ii–V–I in D major.
Common questions
What notes are in the E minor 7th chord?
The E minor 7th chord is made up of E, G, B, D. All white keys: start on E, skip a key to G, skip another to B, and the shape is under your hand.
What fingers should I use to play Em7 on piano?
In root position, the standard fingering is 1-2-3-5 in the right hand and 5-3-2-1 in the left hand (1 = thumb, 5 = little finger). E, G, B, D are all white keys; find E just right of the pair of black keys, and the rest of the shape follows.
What are the seventh chords in the key of E minor?
Building a seventh on each degree of the E natural minor scale gives Em7, F#m7b5, Gmaj7, Am7, Bm7, Cmaj7, D7. Em7 is the home chord of the set.
When should I play Em7 instead of E minor?
Em7 is the E minor triad with D added on top, so the two swap freely. The seventh takes the edge off the minor sound; use the plain triad when you want the sadness undiluted.
More E chords
Reviewed by
Composer, arranger and music educator. BA Music (LIPA), MA Composition (University of Salford).
Last updated 2026-08-19