G♯ minor chord on guitar (G♯m)

G♯m is G♯, B and D♯. The usual shape is 4-6-6-4-4-4, a barre at the 4th fret. Tap Play, then slow it down.

4-6-6-4-4-4 · barre · medium

Notes: G♯ · B · D♯
Formula: 1 · ♭3 · 5
First shape: 4-6-6-4-4-4

How to play G♯m on guitar

Shape 1, 4-6-6-4-4-4, reading from the low E string on the left, starts at the 4th fret:

Barre the 4th fret with your index finger, covering all the strings.
Put your middle finger on the A string at the 6th fret, which is D♯.
Put your ring finger on the D string at the 6th fret, which is G♯.

Check the barre one string at a time. A dead string under the index finger usually means the finger has drifted away from the fret wire.

Other ways to play G♯m

x-x-6-4-4-4: movable shape at the 4th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.
x-11-13-13-12-11: barre shape at the 11th fret, medium. Root on the 5th string, so it pairs well with the 6th-string shape a few frets away.
4-2-1-1-0-x: open shape, medium. Use it when the next chord sits nearby on the neck.

Playing G♯m with a capo

No barre needed if a capo is allowed: capo on the 4th fret and play the open Em shape (0-2-2-0-0-0) or capo on the 6th fret and play the open Dm shape (x-x-0-2-3-1). The chord sounds as G♯m because the capo raises every string by 4 half steps.

G♯m chord changes

The chords G♯m usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

C♯ (V in F♯ major): G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4) to C♯ (x-4-6-6-6-4): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 4th fret, the middle finger slides across to the D string at the same fret, the ring finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 6th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. The two chords share G♯, which is why the change sounds smooth. C♯ on guitar
B (IV in F♯ major): G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4) to B (x-2-4-4-4-2): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 2nd fret, the middle finger goes to the D string, 4th fret, move the ring finger to the G string, 4th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 4th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. Shared notes: B and D♯. B on guitar
F♯ (I in F♯ major): G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4) to F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 2nd fret, the middle finger goes to the G string, 3rd fret, your ring finger lands on the A string, 4th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the D string, 4th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. F♯ on guitar

G♯m has the gentle, slightly melancholy sound of a minor chord. A minor chord softens a progression. Try G♯m right after G♯ major to hear how much one note changes. On guitar you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

Practice G♯m in two minutes

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: G♯, D♯, G♯, B, D♯, G♯. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Next, alternate 4-6-6-4-4-4 and x-x-6-4-4-4, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

Written A♭m, it's the same chord with the same frets.

G♯m in context

In G♯ minor, i–VI–III–VII on guitar is G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4), E (0-2-2-1-0-0), B (x-2-4-4-4-2) and F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2). About the minor anthem.

In G♯ minor, i–iv–V on guitar is G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4), C♯m (x-4-6-6-5-4) and E♭ (x-x-1-3-4-3). About the minor cadence.

In G♯ minor, i–VII–VI–V on guitar is G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4), F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2), E (0-2-2-1-0-0) and E♭ (x-x-1-3-4-3). About the Andalusian cadence.

G♯m on piano and ukulele

The same notes on another instrument: G♯m on piano and G♯m on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.

Close to G♯m

Other minor chords

G♯m on guitar: questions

What notes are in G♯m on guitar?

G♯, B and D♯. In the 4-6-6-4-4-4 shape the strings play G♯ (low E string), D♯ (A string), G♯ (D string), B (G string), D♯ (B string) and G♯ (high E string), so G♯ and D♯ are doubled.

What's the easiest way to play G♯m on guitar?

G♯m takes a little stretching on guitar; start with x-x-6-4-4-4. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and in many songs a capo can take over part of the work.

Is G♯m a barre chord on guitar?

Usually, yes. 4-6-6-4-4-4 has your index finger across the 4th fret. If that's hard, try x-x-6-4-4-4.

Which string does G♯m start on?

In the 4-6-6-4-4-4 shape the lowest string you play is the low E string at the 4th fret, which is G♯, the root.

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes G♯, B and D♯ and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.