Em/B on guitar: E minor with B in the bass
Em/B is the E minor chord (E, G, B) with its 5th, B, as the lowest note: the 2nd inversion of Em. The notes are the same as in Em; only the one at the bottom changes.
- Notes
- EGB
- Bass
- B 5th of the chord
How to play Em/B on guitar
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Shape 1 · 1st position
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Shape 2 · fret 2 · barre
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Shape 3 · fret 7 · barre
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Shape 4 · fret 4
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Shape 5 · fret 9
Where Em/B shows up
The 5th in the bass is unstable and asks to move. The textbook use is the cadence: Em/B → B7 → Em, with the bass holding the same note through the first two chords (the "cadential six-four").
Other positions of Em
Frequently asked questions
What does Em/B mean?
Em/B reads "Em over B": you play Em and the lowest note is B. In a chord symbol, whatever comes after the slash is always the bass.
What is the difference between Em/B and Em?
The notes are the same (E, G, B); only the lowest one changes. With B in the bass, Em is in 2nd inversion, and the bass line can move by step between chords.
How do you play Em/B on guitar?
The shapes on this page go from easiest to hardest. In all of them B is the lowest note; the low strings that would sound below it are not played (x).