G, B7, Em & D Chords
G, B7, E minor, and D major are four chords that unlock an enormous new repertoire. Combined with the six you already know, you can now play virtually any song.
G, B7, E minor, and D major are four chords that unlock an enormous new repertoire. Combined with the six you already know, you can now play virtually any song.
G, Em, D, and B7 are four of the seven chords that naturally belong to the key of G major. Understanding this relationship explains why these chords always sound so natural together. When a song uses G as its "home" chord, the Em, D, and B7 are like family members who all feel comfortable in the same house. Moving between them creates the sense of departure and return that makes music emotionally engaging.
The chord progression G, Em, D, B7 (and back to G) is one of the most satisfying progressions you can play as a beginner. It covers happy, melancholic, energetic, and tense emotional territory all within four chords. Songs from every decade use some version of this progression.
There are actually three common ways to play G major on guitar. The two-finger version uses only your middle and ring fingers on the 3rd fret of the low E and high e strings. This is easy to form but produces a slightly thin sound. The three-finger version adds the index finger on the 2nd fret of the A string, filling out the chord nicely.
The four-finger "band" G uses pinky and ring fingers on the 3rd fret of the B and high e strings, with middle and index fingers on the lower strings. This version is preferred by most experienced guitarists because it allows smoother transitions to C major (you can keep the pinky and ring in place as you rearrange the lower fingers). It takes more time to form reliably but pays off in the long run.
Em requires only two fingers: middle finger on the 2nd fret of the A string, and ring finger on the 2nd fret of the D string. Strum all six strings. Em has a distinctly open, resonant sound because four of the six strings ring open. It is often one of the very first chords beginners learn, and it appears in hundreds of songs across all genres.
Because Em uses only two fingers on the middle strings, it is also an excellent launching pad for other chords. You can add your index finger at the 1st fret of the G string to create Em7, or extend your third and fourth fingers further up the neck to create more complex voicings as you advance.
D major has a distinctive triangular shape: index finger on the 2nd fret of the G string, middle finger on the 2nd fret of the high e string, and ring finger on the 3rd fret of the B string. Strum only the top four strings (D, G, B, e). Do not play the A or low E strings. D major has a bright, forward-moving quality and is one of the most commonly used chords in pop and rock music.
The transition from G to D is one of the most fundamental chord changes in guitar. When moving between them, notice that your middle finger stays at the 2nd fret (just moving from the A string to the high e string). Using this as a guide finger makes the G to D change significantly smoother.
B7 is a more complex chord with an immediate sense of tension and forward motion. Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the D string, middle finger on the 2nd fret of the A string, ring finger on the 2nd fret of the G string, and little finger on the 2nd fret of the high e string. Strum from the A string down (do not play the low E). B7 naturally wants to resolve back to Em, which is why the B7 to Em move is one of the most satisfying progressions on guitar.
Play these four chords in sequence: G for four beats, Em for four beats, D for four beats, B7 for four beats, then back to G. Repeat this cycle until you can move through all four chords without stopping. This single progression will unlock dozens of songs and give you a deep feel for how chords relate to each other in a key.
The D major chord is notorious for sounding "muddy" when beginners first learn it. This is almost always because the pick is striking the thick low E and A strings. Because the root note of this chord is D (the open 4th string), playing the E and A strings underneath it clashes horribly.
To fix this, practice resting your pick on the D string before you strum, ensuring you only hit the top four strings. Alternatively, you can lightly wrap your thumb around the top of the neck to gently touch and mute the low E string so it won't ring even if you accidentally hit it!
You might have noticed that B7 has a very distinct, "edgy" sound compared to the bright happiness of G Major or the sad calmness of E Minor. B7 is what is known as a Dominant 7th chord.
Dominant 7th chords contain a naturally dissonant interval (called a tritone) that creates a strong feeling of musical tension. Your ear desperately wants that tension to be resolved. In the key of E Minor, B7 is the "V chord," and it acts like a giant arrow pointing your ear straight back home to E Minor.
As you learn more chords, switching between them quickly becomes your biggest challenge. The secret to fast chord changes is finding Pivot Fingers—fingers that can stay planted in the exact same spot while the rest of your hand moves.
For example, look closely at the transition from G Major (the 4-finger version) to D Major. Your ring finger is holding the 3rd fret of the B string in BOTH chords! Instead of lifting your entire hand off the guitar to switch, keep your ring finger glued to the string and pivot the rest of your fingers around it. This cuts your transition time in half and keeps your hand completely stable.
G / Em / Am / D / G / C / D / G (four beats each). This sequence in the key of G underpins hundreds of folk and pop songs.
Em / D / C / B7 / Em / Am / B7 / Em (two beats each). This moody sequence in E minor is classic for ballads and Spanish-influenced music.
Common questions about G, B7, Em, and D
Different fingerings make it easier to switch to different chords. The 3-finger version makes it easy to switch to C Major, while the 4-finger version makes it incredibly easy to switch to D Major!
Technically yes, but it completely changes the emotion of the song. B7 has a specific bluesy tension that drives the song forward to E Minor. A normal B major chord will sound much more plain.