How to Play the Gm Guitar Chord | National Guitar Academy (2024)

The G minor guitar chord, usually written as “Gm”, is one of the least common minor guitar chords. I always tell my students that although it doesn’t appear too oftenit’s still a good chordto know because it sounds so cool.

In this free lesson you will learn:

• How to play a standard G minor guitar chord
• 3 easier ways to play the G minor guitar chord (ideal for beginners)
• A simple 1-finger version of the Gm guitar chord

Over 250,000 guitar-learners get our world-class guitar tips & tutorials sent straight to their inbox: Click here to join them

The standard way to play the G minor guitar chord

Here’s what a full G minor guitar chord looks like:

G Minor

Barred guitar chords like this are too difficult for beginner guitarists to play, so let’s look at some easier ways to play a G minor guitar chord instead.

3 easier ways to play a G minor guitar chord (Gm)

Let’s look at 3 easier alternatives that I often recommend to my students.

This first option is a simplified version of the full Gm guitar chord shown above:

Gm (version 2)

This is easier to play than a standard G minor guitar chord, but you will still find it tough to play. Make sure you don’t play strings 5 & 6 when strumming this version of G minor. (String numbers are explained here.)

The Best Easy Versions Of This Chord

That’s still too difficult Mike! Is there an even easier way to play a G minor guitar chord?

Yes! 🙂 This is the version I recommend for my students who are total beginners:

Gm (version 3)

As you can see this is a much easier version the Gm guitar chord than the others! This Gm chord is well suited to people who are very early in their guitar journey.

The only issue with this version of the G minor guitar chord is that it sounds a little thin. That’s the trade off we’re making here; we’re sacrificing the quality of a well-rounded and full G minor for the playability of this simple 3-string version of G minor chord.

.

Are there any other simple ways to play a G minor guitar chord?

This 2-finger version of the Gm chord gives us much more ‘low end’:

Be sure to skip strings 1 & 2 when playing this chord or it won’t sound right (as it will no longer be a Gm chord if you play them). This version of the Gm guitar chord gives us a deeper and more melancholy tone and is a handy one to have in your locker. (But honestly, most of the time you’ll be better using the previous version.)

“These easy versions don’t sound great Mike…”

Playing stripped-down versions of guitar chords inevitably affects the quality of the sound, but that’s the trade off for using simplerchords.

Think of these easy versions of the G minor guitar chord as stepping stones; chords you’ll play while you develop as a guitarist and improve your finger-control and dexterity to the point where you can play the full version of G minor guitar chord.

You need to decide which one of these easier chords works best for the piece of music you are playing and also suits your current ability level.They will all do the job, so take your pick and enjoy playing these different G minor guitar chords. You’ll be rocking away like a madman in no time at all! 🙂

A usefultip for all difficult barre chords

You can use a capo to make a difficult piece of music easy.For example, if you put a capo on the 3rd fret and play an Em chord, the sound that comes out of the guitar will be Gm. Give it a try!

The capo simply does the job your finger is doing when you barre strings. It’s raising the key of the guitar which means you can play different (and easier) chords shapes to get the same result. Don’t be afraid of experimenting with a capo, it’s a beginner guitarist’s best friend!

Here are some other cool-sounding Gm chords
.

What Type of Guitarist Are You?

Take our 60-second quiz & get your results: Take The Quiz

Join the world's best online guitar school 🌎

• Get your own personalised guitar learning plan(customised just for YOU).
• World-class online guitar courses. Learn at your own pace.
• Community Campus & Learning Forum - A friendly community! Connect with our team & students. 😊
• Beginner Song library with chordsheets, tabs and tips. (Songs suitable for all levels!)
• Regular live streams, seminars and Q&A sessions- Learn from world-class guitar educators. Get all your questions answered!

Click here to learn more about National Guitar Academy membership

Cool Guitar T-shirts 😎

Look cooler! Check out our merch: Click here to see our merch store

Want free guitar tips and video lessons delivered to your inbox?

Join over 250,000 other guitar learners and subscribe to our guitar-tips-by-email service. (It's free.)

We'll send you a series of lessons that will move you to the next level of your guitar journey.

Learn how everything fits together quickly, easily and effectively. We share ninja tips (for instant fun!) but also timeless fundamentals that will deepen your understanding.