Irish bouzouki Em chord (GDAE)E minor: 0 2 2 0, and 5 more shapes
Frets, low course to high: 0 2 2 0 (open position) · Em/G
- G course: open, G
- D course: 2nd fret, index finger (barre), E
- A course: 2nd fret, index finger (barre), B
- E course: open, E
Sounds: G E B E · Em is E, G, B (1 · ♭3 · 5)
Found in: D major (ii), G major (vi), D mixolydian (ii), G mixolydian (vi), A mixolydian (v), D dorian (ii)
Open courses that ring: G and E are notes of Em, so they can drone under it.
No 3rd: E5 (x 2 2 0) leaves the 3rd out, so it backs E major, mixolydian, dorian and minor tunes alike.
Tuning GDAE: G D A E, low to high. The octave mandolin uses the same tuning, so these shapes fit it too.
The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts on the Irish bouzouki in GDAD. Choose GDAE once in its Settings and it remembers.
More Em shapes
- 0 2 2 3
open · Em/G - 4 2 2 3
open · Em/B - 0 5 7 7
5fr · Em/G - 0 9 7 0
7fr · Em/G - 0 9 10 0
9fr · Em/G
Em in session keys
- E dorian (i, a main chord): Em – D – Em
- E minor (i, a main chord): Em – D – C – D
- G major (vi): G – Em – C – D (a B part that wanders, or a song)
- B minor (iv): Bm – Em – A – Bm (with the minor iv)
Other E chords, Irish bouzouki GDAE
Other minor chords
Em in other tunings
All Irish bouzouki GDAE chords · Printable chart (PDF) · Tuning · The app