If you have come to this page, you want to know how to play an E Minor chord. This is a great chord for beginners because it is perhaps the easiest guitar chord to play. Sometimes you will see this chord on a chart looking like this: Em The small letter m indicates a minor chord. If you are learning how to play an E Minor chord, you may also want to learn how to play an A Major chord as well. It is also a fairly simple chord. With the E Minor and A Major in your chord playing repertoire, you will be able to find easy sheet music that incorporates the E Minor and the A Major.

Sit comfortably with the guitar on your lap. Starting from the bottom of the guitar strings, from thick to thin, the strings are E, A, D, G, B, high E. The low E is also referred to as the sixth string. The high E is the first string. This is a good thing to know for all guitar instruction, Major Chords or Minor Chords. Place your pointer finger on the A string on the second fret. Place your middle finger on the D string on the second fret. That's it! You are now playing an E Minor Chord.

Check out this great video on how to play an E Minor! There is a little discrepancy regarding the fingering, but it will work just fine. You will also learn a bit more!

Place the guitar comfortably on your lap. Hold it so you are able to see your left hand on the guitar neck. Once you master your chords, you will not need to look at your hands, and you may prefer standing up. When learning guitar, start out with an acoustic guitar, as is illustrated in the video. "Unplugged" is the best way to learn because you become one with the instrument, and you can feel the chords you are playing with the guitar on your lap.

When learning to play guitar, particularly an acoustic, your fingers may hurt for awhile because of pressing down on the strings. This will pass. You will build callouses on your fingertips as you practice and play.

As mentioned in the introduction, the E Minor chord only requires two fingers. The bars across the neck of the guitar are frets. You will see chord charts with the six strings and the frets depicted, with numbers on the chart so you'll know where to put your fingers. You may either use your second and third fingers, or your third and fourth fingers as is demonstrated in the instructional video.

The thickest string on the guitar is your low E string. It remains open, with no finger on it. Next, the A string. You will need to use the A string, which is the second string, for the first finger. Place your first finger on the A string on the second fret. The next string is the D string. Place your second finger on the D string on the second fret. You now have an E Minor chord.

Even though you are only using two fingers for this simple chord, it's wise to develop good habits early. Your thumb is at the back of the neck of the guitar, helping your hand to form chords. Try to keep an "arch" in your thumb, not flattened down. You will need this for the harder chords, especially the ones that are further up the neck.

One of the simplest songs ever written, from a guitar chord standpoint, is Horse With No Name by the band America.http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/a/america/horse_with_no_name_crd.htm If you also take time to learn how to play an A Major Chord, you can achieve a version of this song simply by moving back and forth between the two chords. The A Major chord requires three fingers and is also played on the second fret. Easy!

If you have the track of the song to listen to, or download it from iTunes, you can hear how the two chords are the only ones in the song. The guitarist is not playing a straight A Major Chord, so do not be confused if you see "D69" instead on the chart. You will get a very similar effect by using the A Major Chord. If you also download the lyrics to Horse With No Name, you will have a song ready to perform.http://www.lyricsfreak.com/a/america/a+horse+with+no+name_20007105.html That feels very good indeed.

Check out these other helpful How Tos to learn more about guitars.

1. How to Play Guitar For Newbies
2. How to Play A Major on Guitar
3. How to Play a B Chord
4. How to Play C Major on Guitar
5. How to Play D Major on Guitar
6. How to Play E Major on Guitar
7. How to Play F Major on Guitar
8. How to Play an A Minor Chord
9. How to Play B Minor on Guitar
10. How to Play a C Minor Chord
11. How to Play D Minor on Guitar
12. How to Play an E Minor Chord
13. How to Play an F Minor Chord
14. How to Clean a Guitar
15. How to Tune a Guitar
16. How to Buy a Guitar
17. How to String an Acoustic Guitar