Basic Minor Chords for Guitar: 3 Essential Chords to Learn

[Series] Guitar for Beginners > Lesson 13: Basic Minor Chords for Guitar: 3 Essential Chords to Learn

Today’s lesson is all about minor chords. Not minor as in insignificant – minor as in, the opposite of major.

The chords we’re focusing on in this video are: Am, Dm, and Em, which are the minor counterparts to the major A chord, D chord, and E chord.

What’s the difference between minor and major chords? 

It comes down to the sound and tone. Minor chords tend to feel sad, dark, or morose. At the same time, major chords are more uplifting, bright, and happy.

Let’s start with today’s video, where I break down each of these chords.

What Is a Minor Chord?

Let’s have a deeper look at what exactly constitutes a minor chord. 

Firstly, minor chords are usually designated by and written with m, min, or minor. If you don’t see anything written after the chord, it means it’s a major chord.

So for example: A minor can be written as Am, Amin, or A minor. 

Next, let’s look at how minor chords differ from major chords. 

Major chords contain 3 notes: the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of a major scale. 

Minor chords on the other hand contain the 1st, lowered or flattened 3rd, and 5th notes of a major scale.

A flattened or lowered note simply means that the note is lowered by a semitone or half step.

Minor chords are used to add more variety to a musical arrangement. They can appear in songs that are written both in major keys and minor keys. 

Some all-time classics that were written in minor keys include “Hurt” by Johnny Cash and “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M. Take a listen to them and see if you can hear the minor key throughout the songs.

Forming Minor Chords on Guitar

Next, let’s take a look at the minor chords in more detail, and some ways to practice them.

Am Chord

The Am chord is one of the first chords a beginner will learn to play – it’s straightforward and easy to play and consists of the notes A, C and E.

To play the Am chord, place fingers in the following way: 

• Middle finger on the second fret of the D string
• Ring finger on the second fret of the G string
• Index finger on the first fret of the B string
• Leave the A and high E strings open

Strum all the strings except the low E string, which should be muted.

Dm Chord

With a certain melancholic sound to it, the Dm chord is another popular one with beginners. The Dm chord has a sad and moody sound, making it a popular choice for ballads, slow songs, and emotional pieces of music.

Like the Am chord, it consists of only three notes: D, F, and A.

To play the Dm chord, place your fingers in the following way:

• Index finger on the first fret of the high E string
• Middle finger on the second fret of the G string
• Ring finger on the third fret of the B string
• Leave the D string open

Strum all the strings while muting the low E and A strings. 

Em Chord

The Em chord consists of the notes E, G and B. Because the Em chord has a melancholic and contemplative sound, it’s really good for adding depth and emotion to a song.

To play the Em chord on the guitar, place your fingers in the following way:

• Middle finger on the second fret of the B string
• Ring finger on the second fret of the G string
• Leave open all the other strings

Strum all the strings except the sixth and first strings, which should be muted.

Try This Daily Routine to Learn Minor Chords Faster

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