Guitar chords · Minor
G♯m chord on guitar (G#m)
G♯m (G♯ minor) has three notes: G♯, B and D♯, the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., ♭3 and 5.
Shapes
How to play G♯m
Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7.; the other numbers are the chord tones.
G♯m has no common A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em.. Play it as the E shape at The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step. 4 or the A shape at fret 11. A A chord or scale fingering with no open strings. Slide it up or down the neck and it changes its root but not its type: a major shape stays major. keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., on the lowest played string, names the chord.
E shape · fret 4
A shape · fret 11
Notes and formula
What makes G♯m minor
A minor chord lowers the 3rd of the major chord by a The smallest distance in Western music: one fret on the guitar, such as E to F or F to F♯.. That one note gives it its darker, sadder colour.
- 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
- 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
- 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.
The ♭3rd makes G♯m a minor chord; you can leave out the 5th.
- G♯Rroot
- B♭3essential
- D♯5optional
- G♯, the root
- Other chord tones
G♯m and A♭m are the same chord with two names: same The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step., same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.
Keys
Keys with G♯m
G♯m belongs to six keys: E major (iii), B major (vi), F♯ major (ii), C♯ minor (v), G♯ minor (i) and D♯ minor (iv).
Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work
Progressions
Progressions with G♯m
Common progressions that use G♯m, each in a key that spells it G♯m. The outlined chord is G♯m.
The pop axis in B major
I – V – vi – IV
- B
- F♯
- G♯m
- E
Four chords that carry a huge share of modern pop. All four sit next to each other on the circle.
Heard in Let It Be, No Woman No Cry, With or Without You
'50s doo-wop in B major
I – vi – IV – V
- B
- G♯m
- E
- F♯
The vi chord softens the move from I to IV before the V pulls back home.
Heard in Stand by Me, Every Breath You Take
Minor pop in G♯ minor
i – VI – III – VII
- G♯m
- E
- B
- F♯
The pop axis rotated to start on the relative minor — same four chords, darker centre.
Heard in Zombie, Numb, Despacito
Andalusian cadence in G♯ minor
i – VII – VI – V
- G♯m
- F♯
- E
- D♯
A stepwise walk down to a major V borrowed from harmonic minor. Flamenco's signature move.
Heard in Hit the Road Jack, Runaway, Stray Cat Strut
Slash chords
G♯m over another bass note
A A chord with a different note in the bass, written after a slash: C/E is a C chord with E as its lowest note. The letter after the slash is the bass. keeps G♯m on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.
- G♯m/B
G♯m with its ♭3rd, B, in the bass: the first inversion.
- G♯m/D♯
G♯m with its 5th, D♯, in the bass: the second inversion.
- G♯m/F♯
G♯m over F♯, a passing bass a Two half steps, or two frets on the guitar, such as C to D. below the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., as in G♯m, G♯m/F♯, G♯m/E♯, E.
- G♯m/E♯
G♯m over E♯, a passing bass a major 6th above the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., as in G♯m, G♯m/F♯, G♯m/E♯, E.
Same root
Other chords on G♯ / A♭
Change one or two notes and the same The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7. gives a different colour. Compare them by ear.
- A♭ major
- A♭7 dominant 7th
- A♭maj7 major 7th
- G♯m7 minor 7th
- A♭sus2 suspended 2nd
- A♭sus4 suspended 4th
- A♭6 major 6th
- G♯m6 minor 6th
- A♭add9 add 9
- A♭9 dominant 9th
- A♭maj9 major 9th
- G♯m9 minor 9th
- A♭13 dominant 13th
- A♭maj13 major 13th
- G♯m11 minor 11th
- G♯° diminished
- G♯m7♭5 half-diminished 7th
- G♯°7 diminished 7th
- A♭+ augmented
- A♭5 power chord
- A♭7sus4 dominant 7th suspended 4th
- G♯m(maj7) minor major 7th
- A♭6/9 six-nine
- G♯m(add9) minor add 9
- A♭7♯9 dominant 7th sharp 9th
Questions
G♯m, in short
- What notes are in the G♯m chord?
- G♯m (G♯ minor) has three notes: G♯, B and D♯, the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., ♭3 and 5.
- How do you play G♯m on guitar?
- G♯m has no common A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em.. Play it as the E shape at The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step. 4 or the A shape at fret 11.
- What key is G♯m in?
- G♯m belongs to six keys: E major (iii), B major (vi), F♯ major (ii), C♯ minor (v), G♯ minor (i) and D♯ minor (iv).
- Is G♯m the same as A♭m?
- Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. G♯m is the spelling in E major, B major, F♯ major, C♯ minor, G♯ minor and D♯ minor; A♭m only in C♭ major, G♭ major, A♭ minor and E♭ minor.