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Minor chords on guitar

Minor chords in all 12 keys.

Minor chords that occur together in major keys

Each pair uses the chord shapes or piano inversions with the most fingers or notes kept in place.

C major

Dm · Em · Am

  • Dm → Emxx0231 → 022000No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 1 fret.
  • Dm → Amxx0231 → x02210No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 1 fret.
  • Em → Am022000 → x022101 finger stays in place: middle finger on the D string at fret 2.

Db major

Ebm · Fm · Bbm

  • Ebm → Fmx68876 → 133111No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 5 frets down.
  • Ebm → Bbmx68876 → x13321No finger stays in place; slide the whole shape 5 frets down.
  • Fm → Bbm133111 → x133211 finger stays in place: index finger on the E string at fret 1.

D major

Em · F#m · Bm

  • Em → F#m022000 → 244222No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 2 frets.
  • Em → Bm022000 → x204021 finger stays in place: index finger on the A string at fret 2.
  • F#m → Bm244222 → x244321 finger stays in place: index finger on the E string at fret 2.

Eb major

Fm · Gm · Cm

  • Fm → Gm133111 → 355333No finger stays in place; slide the whole shape 2 frets up.
  • Fm → Cm133111 → x35543No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 2 frets up.
  • Gm → Cm355333 → x355431 finger stays in place: index finger on the E string at fret 3.

E major

F#m · C#m

  • F#m → C#m244222 → x46654No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 2 frets up.

F major

Gm · Am · Dm

  • Gm → Am355333 → x02210No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 3 frets down.
  • Gm → Dm355333 → xx0231No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 3 frets down.
  • Am → Dmx02210 → xx0231No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 1 fret.

G major

Am · Bm · Em

  • Am → Bmx02210 → x20402No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 2 frets.
  • Am → Emx02210 → 0220001 finger stays in place: middle finger on the D string at fret 2.
  • Bm → Emx20402 → 0220001 finger stays in place: index finger on the A string at fret 2.

Ab major

Bbm · Cm · Fm

  • Bbm → Cmx13321 → x35543No finger stays in place; slide the whole shape 2 frets up.
  • Bbm → Fmx13321 → 1331111 finger stays in place: index finger on the E string at fret 1.
  • Cm → Fmx35543 → 133111No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 2 frets down.

A major

Bm · C#m · F#m

  • Bm → C#mx20402 → x46654No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 3 frets up.
  • Bm → F#mx24432 → 2442221 finger stays in place: index finger on the E string at fret 2.
  • C#m → F#mx46654 → 244222No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 2 frets down.

Bb major

Cm · Dm · Gm

  • Cm → Dmx35543 → xx0231No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 2 frets down.
  • Cm → Gmx35543 → 3553331 finger stays in place: index finger on the E string at fret 3.
  • Dm → Gmxx0231 → 355333No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 3 frets up.

Minor formula compared with nearby chord types

These A-rooted chords share their listed notes; each button plays the two chords in order.

Am and A

Am: A · C · E · formula 1 · b3 · 5

A: A · C# · E · formula 1 · 3 · 5

Shared notes: A, E; C changes to C#.

Am and Am7

Am: A · C · E · formula 1 · b3 · 5

Am7: A · C · E · G · formula 1 · b3 · 5 · b7

Shared notes: A, C, E; Adds G.

The intervals 1, b3, and 5 give it a darker sound than major.

4 of the 12 minor chords on guitar have an easy shape (no barre, three fingers or fewer, first four frets): Em, Am, Dm, Bm.

Easiest to hardest

  1. Em
  2. Am
  3. Dm
  4. Bm
  5. Fm (higher up the neck)
  6. Gm (higher up the neck)
  7. F#m (higher up the neck)
  8. Cm (higher up the neck)
  9. Abm (higher up the neck)
  10. C#m (higher up the neck)
  11. Bbm (higher up the neck)
  12. Ebm (higher up the neck)

Other chord types: Major · 7th · Major 7th · Minor 7th · Sus2 · Sus4 · Add9 · Diminished · Augmented