Banjo Em chord (Double C)E minor on the 5-string banjo: 4 4 4 5, and 4 more shapes

Em chord chart for 5-string banjo in Double C tuning: 4 4 4 5, from the 4th fret, with the short 5th string marked
Em (E minor) on the 5-string banjo, Double C: 4 4 4 5, string 4 to string 1. Fingers are numbered on the dots; copper marks the root; the green ring on the left is the 5th string, solid when it’s in the chord.

Frets, string 4 to string 1: 4 4 4 5 (from the 4th fret)

  1. String 4 (C): 4th fret, index finger (barre), E
  2. String 3 (G): 4th fret, index finger (barre), B
  3. String 2 (C): 4th fret, index finger (barre), E
  4. String 1 (D): 5th fret, middle finger, G
  5. String 5, the short g: open, G, in the chord

Sounds: E B E G  ·  Em is E, G, B (1 · ♭3 · 5)

Found in: G major (vi), D major (ii), C major (iii), G mixolydian (vi), A mixolydian (v), D mixolydian (ii)

The 5th string: the short g is the minor 3rd of Em, so let it ring.

With a capo: on the 4th fret it’s 0 0 0 1 (frets counted from the capo), an open Cm shape. Spike the 5th string at the 9th fret to keep it in tune with the capo.

Double C tuning: gCGCD, the short 5th string first, then strings 4 to 1.

Hear it in the app ›

The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts in open G. Choose Double C once in its Settings and it remembers.

More Em shapes

  1. 2341gEBEE4 4 4 2
    at the nut · 5th string completes it
  2. 7fr1314gGEGB7 9 7 9
    7fr
  3. 9fr3141gBEBB11 9 11 9
    9fr · 5th string completes it
  4. 11fr124gBGBE11 0 11 14
    11fr

Other E chords in Double C

EEmE7Em7Emaj7E6Esus4Esus2EdimEaug

Other minor chords

GmAmDmCmBmEmFmB♭mE♭mF♯mC♯mA♭m

Em in other tunings

Open GSawmillOpen DC Tuning

All Double C banjo chords · Printable chart (PDF) · How to tune · The app