Em7
E Minor 7th — the workhorse of smooth harmony — soft, rounded, and at home on the ii chord of nearly everything.
The keys
E – G – B – D
What's inside Em7
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| E | Root | 1 |
| G | Minor 3rd | b3 |
| B | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| D | Minor 7th | b7 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | E4 – G4 – B4 – D5 |
| 1st inversion | G4 – B4 – D5 – E5 |
| 2nd inversion | B4 – D5 – E5 – G5 |
| 3rd inversion | D5 – E5 – G5 – B5 |
A working voicing
Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:
| Hand | Keys |
|---|---|
| Left (shell) | E2 – D3 |
| Right (colour) | G4 – B4 |
Where Em7 lives
As the ii chord
Em7 → A7 → Dmaj7
Minor-family sevenths live on the ii — this is the move they were born for.
Stepwise colour
E → Em7 → G♭m7
Used as a passing colour between neighbouring chords.
Put Em7 under your fingers
Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.
Open the Chord & Voicing Lab →