The E-flat minor chord plays an important role in guitar playing, and you can play it using a few different fingerings. Like most chords, it’s not especially difficult, but you want to practice it until you’re comfortable (as it is with all other guitar chords you’re learning). So how do you play the E-flat minor chord on guitar?
How to Play an E-Flat Minor Guitar Chord
The E-flat minor chord is a minor triad, or a three-note chord in a minor key, and plays a role in songs written in G-flat major. Here’s the most common way to play an E-flat minor guitar chord:

- Make a barre with your index finger across the first five strings at the sixth fret
- Middle finger on the 7th fret on the second (B) string
- Ring finger on the 8th fret on the fourth (D) string
- Pinky finger on the 8th fret on the third (G) string
- Strum downward on the first five strings
Try another barre: F major (hard guitar chord)
Other Ways of Playing an Eb Minor Guitar Chord
Besides the barre chord, there are some other ways of playing the E-flat minor chord. One way is:
- Index finger on the 2nd fret, on first (E) string
- Middle finger on the 3rd fret, on the third (G) string
- Ring finger on the 4th fret, on the fourth (D) string
- Pinky finger on the 4th fret, on the second (B) string
- Strum downward on the first four strings
This version is very similar to the B7 chord.
If you’re brand-new to playing the guitar, there’s a two-finger method for playing the Eb minor chord:
- Index finger on the 2nd fret on the first (E) string
- Ring finger on the 4th fret on the second (B) string
- Play these two strings simultaneously
This is a good way to start learning some chord fingering. As you get more comfortable with this and other chords, begin practicing other techniques for playing the E-flat minor chord, particularly the barred version.
Another chord to try: Simple C major
Songs That Use Eb Minor
E-flat minor is a good key for evoking a sad feeling, particularly sadness surrounding love and loneliness. You might see these songs as being in D-sharp minor, but D-sharp and E-flat are enharmonic, meaning they’re two names for the same note. Some of those songs are:
- Superstition, by Stevie Wonder
- Heaven and Hell, by Black Sabbath
- Maniac, by Michael Sembello
- Jesus Walks, by Kanye West
- Down With the Sickness, by Disturbed
- Dance with the Devil, by Breaking Benjamin
Practice Tips
Since the Eb minor chord is a barre chord, make sure you practice your barres. One thing you can do to help is to play barres by themselves to get used to positioning your index finger correctly.
If you’re getting a buzz, don’t ignore it. Instead, practice your finger positioning until you make it go away. That way, you don’t learn bad techniques you have to unlearn later. It’s always better to learn and practice things correctly the first time to make your musical journey as smooth as possible.
Try these chords next:
The A chord (A major on guitar)
The G chord (G major on guitar)
The D chord (D major on guitar)
The Fm chord (F minor on guitar)
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