Em7: guitar chord voicings, inversions, scales and arpeggios

Em7 (Minor 7) is an interactive GuitarArcanum page with chord formula, intervals, voicings, inversions, triads, pentatonic patterns, scales and arpeggios on the fretboard.

Chord formula

Interval formula: 1 b3 5 b7. A minor triad with a minor 7th. A soft, calm minor — the workhorse of jazz, soul and funk.

Chord tones

The b3 sets the minor, and the b7 softens it into a jazz sound. Stable, with no tension.

Sound character

Soft, warm and calm — one of the most versatile chords there is.

Harmonic function

Most often the ii in a ii – V – I, and also a minor tonic or the vi.

Typical progressions

F#m7 – B7 – Emaj7
C#m7 – F#m7 – B7
Em7 – A7

Guitar voicing advice

Root on the 6th and 5th strings, barre forms. Keep the 3rd and 7th close; the 5th can be dropped.

Fretboard voicings for Em7

A few curated Em7 shapes with fret numbers, intervals and root markers.

Em7 — Drop 2, root on 6th string, frets 1–3

Em7 — Drop 2, root on 5th string, frets 6–10

Em7 — Drop 2, root on 4th string, frets 1–5

Compatible scales for Em7

Open interactive scale pages that naturally pair with this chord.

Other chord qualities on the E root

Compare this chord with other qualities sharing the same root.