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Lesson 1 of 4

E minor and A minor

E minor and A minor are the easiest full chords on the guitar, and they share the same finger shape.

Em: middle finger on the A string, 2nd fret; ring finger on the D string, 2nd fret. Strum all six strings.

Am: move that same two-finger shape down one string each (middle on the D string, ring on the G string, both at the 2nd fret) and add your index on the B string, 1st fret. Strum from the A string down; skip the low E.

First, pick each string one at a time. Any note that buzzes or sounds dull means a finger is too far from the fret or is leaning on the next string. Arch your fingers so you play with the tips, and keep your thumb behind the neck.

Then strum each chord four times with downstrokes, one per click. Together they sound dark and calm, in the key of A minor.

The most common mistake is lifting all your fingers off between chords. The middle and ring fingers keep the same shape; move them as a unit.

Exercises

Pick each string

50 → 90 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. low E string, open
    2. A string, fret 2
    3. D string, fret 2
    4. G string, open
    5. B string, open
    6. high E string, open
    7. B string, open
    8. G string, open
  2. Bar 2
    1. A string, open
    2. D string, fret 2
    3. G string, fret 2
    4. B string, fret 1
    5. high E string, open
    6. B string, fret 1
    7. G string, fret 2
    8. D string, fret 2

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Four strums each

50 → 90 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. low E string, open + A string, fret 2 + D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, open
    2. low E string, open + A string, fret 2 + D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, open
    3. low E string, open + A string, fret 2 + D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, open
    4. low E string, open + A string, fret 2 + D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, open
  2. Bar 2
    1. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
    2. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
    3. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
    4. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Bass note, then strum

50 → 90 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. low E string, open
    2. D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, open
    3. A string, fret 2
    4. D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, open
  2. Bar 2
    1. A string, open
    2. D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
    3. low E string, open
    4. D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Checkpoint

Move on when you can do all of these.

  • Every string rings clearly when you pick through each chord
  • Change from Em to Am without a gap at 90 bpm
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