transpose.siteChords in the key of E♭ (E♭ major)
Songs in E♭ use the seven notes of the E♭ major scale: E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D. The key signature has 3 (E♭ A♭ B♭). The seven chords built on these notes are the ones you will meet most in E♭.
Diatonic chords in E♭
| Degree | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triad | E♭ | Fm | Gm | A♭ | B♭ | Cm | Ddim |
| Seventh | E♭maj7 | Fm7 | Gm7 | A♭maj7 | B♭7 | Cm7 | Dm7(♭5) |
| Role | tonic (home) | subdominant side | tonic substitute | subdominant | dominant (tension) | tonic substitute, relative minor | dominant substitute |
I
ii
iii
IV
V
vi
Common progressions in E♭
- E♭ – B♭ – Cm – A♭ (I – V – vi – IV, the most common pop progression)
- E♭ – Cm – A♭ – B♭ (I – vi – IV – V, the '50s progression, ballads)
- Cm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭ (vi – IV – I – V, the same four chords with a minor feel)
- Fm – B♭ – E♭ (ii – V – I, the classic jazz and ballad cadence)
- E♭ – A♭ – B♭ (I – IV – V, rock and blues basics)
Playing in E♭ with a capo
If the barre chords are hard, put on a capo and use the shapes of an easier key.
- Capo on fret 1 + play D shapes (chords in D)
- Capo on fret 3 + play C shapes (chords in C)
- Capo on fret 6 + play A shapes (chords in A)
To move a whole PDF score to an easier key, open it in the free PDF transposer: chords and TAB change together.
Relative minor: C minor
C minor (Cm) uses the same seven notes as E♭ major. If a song starts and ends on Cm, it is in C minor.
Chords in C minor: i Cm · ii° Ddim · III E♭ · iv Fm · v Gm · VI A♭ · VII B♭ (G7 is common in place of v)
- Cm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭ (i – VI – III – VII, minor-key rock and ballads)
- Cm – Fm – Gm – Cm (i – iv – v – i, minor-key basics (V7 often replaces v))
- Cm – B♭ – A♭ – B♭ (i – VII – VI – VII, a rock riff progression)