G# Minor
4th Fret (Em-shape Barre)The standard G#m — Em-shape barre at the 4th fret. A full six-string voicing with the root on the low E string.
G# Minor
11th Fret (Am-shape Barre)Am-shape barre at the 11th fret. A full five-string G#m voicing with the root on the A string — useful when the 4th-fret shape is impractical.
G# Minor
6th Fret (4-String)Four-string Dm-shape voicing at the 6th position. Clean and articulate — excellent for arpeggios and melodic guitar work.
G# Minor
4th Fret (Compact Triad)All three top strings barred at the 4th fret — a B, D#, G# triad = G#m. One barre finger is all it takes.
G# Minor
11th Fret (Compact Triad)Compact three-note G#m triad on the top strings at the 11th position. Bright and cutting for high-register rhythm and melodic work.
Tips for Playing the G#m / Abm Chord
A comfortable barre position
The Em-shape barre at the 4th fret sits in a sweet spot for barre chord comfort — lower string tension than the 1st-2nd fret area, with a warm and resonant tone.
One-finger triad at fret 4
Barring the G, B, and e strings at the 4th fret with your index finger gives you a clean G#m triad instantly. This single-barre shortcut works well for rhythm guitar.
G#m is the vi in B major
G#m is the relative minor of B major. In the key of B, G#m is the vi chord and appears frequently alongside B, E, and F#. This relationship makes G#m a natural part of B major chord progressions.
Use both enharmonic names
G#m and Abm are the same chord. In charts written in sharp keys (like B major), you will see G#m; in flat keys (like Db or Gb major), Abm may appear. Recognize both and play the same shape.
Common progressions
In B major: B → F# → G#m → E is one of the most popular progressions in pop. In Ab minor (Abm): Abm → E → B → F# is a standard minor key sequence. G#m also appears as the iii chord in E major.
Connect to E major
G#m is the iii chord in E major. Songs in E major — common in guitar-driven rock — naturally include G#m alongside E, A, B, and C#m.
About the G#m / Abm Chord on Guitar
The G# minor chord (also written Ab minor or Abm) is built from three notes: G#/Ab (the root), B (the minor 3rd), and D#/Eb (the perfect 5th). It is the relative minor of B major and has no open-string voicing in standard tuning. The Em-shape barre at the 4th fret is the standard G#m shape — a comfortable position with moderate string tension. G#m appears frequently in pop and rock songs in the key of B major, where it functions as the vi chord in the widely used progression B → F# → G#m → E. A single-finger barre across the top three strings at the 4th fret provides an accessible entry point. This page covers five practical voicings including both barre shapes, a four-string voicing, and two compact triads. Every diagram is interactive with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 G#m / Abm chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Em-shape barre, Am-shape barre, and compact triad voicings
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 3 notes that form the G# Minor chord and their role in the major scale.
Every minor chord follows this same formula — root, minor third, perfect fifth.