Dictionary: Eb Major Pentatonic Scale

The E-flat major pentatonic scale is convenient to use for improvising solos and composing melodies over an E-flat major chord progression, especially if you are unsure whether to use the Lydian, Ionian, or Mixolydian mode at any given moment.  It's almost foolproof in that manner.

Modes in D# / Eb

For larger mode maps:
D# Aeolian
D# Phrygian
D# Locrian
Eb Lydian
Eb Ionian
Eb Mixolydian
Eb Dorian
Eb Aeolian

See also:
D# Minor Scale
Eb Major Scale
Eb Minor Scale

Modes with 3 Flats

For larger mode maps:
Eb Ionian
F Dorian
G Phrygian
Ab Lydian
Bb Mixolydian
C Aeolian
D Locrian

See also:
Eb Major Scale
C Minor Scale

Dictionary: Eb Chord

If you're looking for a simpler E-flat major guitar chord, check out this entry from September 2007.

Dictionary: D# Chord

The D-sharp major chord is enharmonic with E-flat major, so here a simpler Eb guitar chord from September 2007.

Dictionary: D# Major Scale

See Eb major scale.

Dictionary: Eb Major Scale

From this three-flat scale, we can derive the modes Eb Ionian, F Dorian, G Phrygian, Ab Lydian, Bb Mixolydian, C Aeolian, and D Locrian.  In the table below, you'll find the usual chords to the left, and triads for transition and/or exploration to the right:

Eb	Cm	Ddim	Ebaug
Ab	Fm	Abm	Fdim
Bb	Gm	G	Bdim

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Lesson #61: Power Chords in Eb (Guitar, Beginner)

In Eb: Eb5, F5, G5, Ab5, Bb5, C5, and D5.

In D#: D#5, E#5, F##5, G#5, A#5, B#5, and C##5.

You'll probably want to play in E-flat, in this case.

Lesson #59: Eight Chords in Eb (Guitar, Beginner, Intermediate)

The chords are Eb, Fm, Gm and/or G, Ab (here as G#), Bb, Cm, and Ddim.

Lesson #57: Eb and the Capo / Barre (Guitar, Beginner, Intermediate)

In standard tuning, this is one form of the E-flat major chord:

If you use a capo (for beginners) or barre (for intermediate players) your index finger at the 3rd fret, you can play the Eb with the regular C chord fingering:


Capo or barre at the 6th fret and finger the A chord:


Capo or barre at the 8th fret and finger the G chord:


Capo or barre at the 11th fret and finger the E chord:


Capo or barre at the 1st or 13th fret and finger the D chord:

Eb Chord Progressions: IV and iv Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

Remember that the Eb major diatonic scale is as follows: Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb

Remember that the relative minor of Eb major (the chord and the scale) is C minor.

The C natural minor scale is as follows: C D Eb F G Ab Bb C (compare with Eb major).

The C harmonic minor scale is as follows: C D Eb F G Ab B C (note the singular difference between the natural and harmonic minor scales).

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to punctuate the IV chord with a iv chord, which makes things a bit Beatlesque (for lack of a better word). Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-IV-IV: Eb Bb Ab Ab

Let's replace the V chord with its relative minor, the iii chord.

I-iii-IV-IV: Eb Gm Ab Ab

Let's try the III chord instead.

I-III-IV-IV: Eb G Ab Ab

Let's replace the second IV chord with a iv chord (which is a minor chord).

I-III-IV-iv: Eb G Ab Abm

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the IV and iv chords.

IV. Ab major chord (Ab C Eb notes)

iv. Ab minor chord (Ab B Eb notes)

Experiment with different chord progressions, and the best of luck to you in the songwriting process.

Eb Chord Progressions: iii and III Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

The Eb major diatonic scale is as follows: Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb

Therefore, the relative minor of Eb major (the chord and the scale) is C minor.

The C natural minor scale is as follows: C D Eb F G Ab Bb C

The C harmonic minor scale is as follows: C D Eb F G Ab B C

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to substitute the mellow iii chord with a more confident III chord. Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-I-V-IV-V-I (I-V): Eb Bb Eb Bb Ab Bb Eb (play Eb Bb quickly)

Let's replace some I and V chords with their relative minors, vi and iii respectively.

I-V-vi-iii-IV-V-I (vi-V): Eb Bb Cm Gm Ab Bb Eb (Cm Bb)

Let's replace the iii chord with a III chord (that is a major chord).

I-V-vi-III-IV-V-I (vi-V): Eb Bb Cm G Ab Bb Eb (Cm Bb)

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the iii and III chords.

iii. G minor chord (G Bb D notes)

III. G major chord (G B D notes)

Eb Chord Progressions: Relative Minor Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

Each major chord in the key of Eb has a relative minor that might sound great instead of playing the major chord, and vice versa. What? In other words...

I/vi: Eb major could possibly be substituted with Cm
IV/ii: Ab major could possibly be substituted with Fm
V/iii: Bb major could possibly be substituted with Gm

Instead of playing I-V-IV-I, for instance, try the following permutations (not an exhaustive list), but we'll start with the original progression:

I-V-IV-I: Eb Bb Ab Eb
I-iii-IV-vi: Eb Gm Ab Cm
I-V-ii-I: Eb Bb Fm Eb
vi-V-IV-I: Cm Bb Ab Eb
vi-iii-ii-vi: Cm Gm Fm Cm
etc.

Substituting a major chord with its relative minor (and vice versa) might liven up a boring progression with a less boring progression (albeit still widely used).

Eb Chord Progressions: I IV V vi

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

Now that you already know about I-IV-V (look above or refer to yesterday's entry), we'll bring in the vi chord in Eb major: C minor. Several popular chord progressions include some sort of combination of the I, IV, V, and vi chords.

As I-vi-IV-V: Eb Cm Ab Bb

As I-vi-V-IV: Eb Cm Bb Ab

As I-V-IV-IV (x 3); I-V-vi-IV; I-V-IV-IV: Eb Bb Ab Ab (x3); Eb Bb Cm Ab; Eb Bb Ab Ab - like the intro of "Today" by the Smashing Pumpkins

As IV-I-V-vi: Ab Eb Bb Cm (Alternatively, I-V-II-iii)

As V-vi-IV-I: Bb Cm Ab Eb (Alternatively, I-ii-bVII-IV)

As vi-IV-I-V: Cm Ab Eb Bb (Alternatively, i-bVI-bIII-bVII)

As vi-I-V-IV: Cm Eb Bb Ab (Alternatively, i-bIII-bVI-bVII)

Eb Chord Progressions: I IV V

Remember from last time:

I. Eb major
ii. Fm
iii. Gm
IV. Ab major
V. Bb major
vi. Cm
vii(b5). Ddim

Many, many, many, many chord progressions in popular music contain some permutation of the I-IV-V progression, and since we're talking about the key of Eb:

I-IV-V can be replaced by the Eb, Ab, and Bb major chords.

You can change the order of the chords for some familiar-sounding progressions:

As I-IV-V-IV-V: Eb, Ab, Bb, Ab, and Bb chords.

As I-V-IV-IV: Eb, Bb, Ab, and Ab chords.

As IV-I-V: The Ab Lydian-sounding Ab, Eb, and Bb progression. (Also referred to as I-V-II.)

As V-IV-I: The Bb Mixolydian-sounding Bb, Ab, and Eb progression. (Also referred to as I-bVII-IV.)

All this looks a lot like high school algebra, but it sounds better than it looks (pun intended).

Eb Chord Progressions: Suspended Triads

Adding to yesterday's list of triads, here are some more simple triads in the key of Eb major, replacing the (major or minor) third note with either a suspended 2nd or suspended 4th:

Isus2. Ebsus2 (Eb-F-Bb)
I. Eb major (Eb-G-Bb)
Isus4. Ebsus4 (Eb-Ab-Bb)

iisus2. Fsus2 (F-G-C)
ii. Fm (F-Ab-C)
iisus4. Fsus4 (F-Bb-C)

iii. Gm (G-Bb-D)
iiisus4. Gsus4 (G-C-D)

IVsus2. Absus2 (Ab-Bb-Eb)
IV. Ab major (Ab-C-Eb)

Vsus2. Bbsus2 (Bb-C-F)
V. Bb major (Bb-D-F)
Vsus4. Bbsus4 (Bb-Eb-F)

visus2. Csus2 (C-D-G)
vi. Cm (C-Eb-G)
visus4. Csus4 (C-F-G)

vii(b5). Ddim (D-F-Ab)
vii(b5)sus4. D(b5)sus4 (D-G-Ab)

To spice up your chord progressions, use a suspended 2nd or suspended 4th instead of or in addition to the basic major and minor chords.

Eb Chord Progressions: Basic Triads

If you remember from previous entries, the Eb major scale consists of the Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, and D notes. This scale will relate directly to the simple triads (that is, three-note chords made of the root, major/minor third, and diminished/perfect fifth notes) in the key of Eb major (please refer to this website or elsewhere for more information):

I. Eb major (made of the Eb, G, and Bb notes);
ii. F minor (F, Ab, and C notes);
iii. G minor (G, Bb, and D notes);
IV. Ab major (Ab, C, and Eb notes);
V. Bb major (Bb, D, and F notes);
vi. C minor (C, Eb, and G notes); and
vii(b5). D diminished (D, F, and Ab notes).

Eb Mixolydian Mode (Guitar, Intermediate)

Mode: Eb Mixolydian

Related Scale: Ab major diatonic

Notes: Eb F G Ab Bb C Db

Hollow Circles: Eb notes

Orange Circles: Eb major pentatonic, diagonal pattern

Gray Circles: The rest of the Eb Mixolydian mode

Example Chord Progression for Rhythm Guitar: Eb Db Cm Ab