E♭ minor scale on guitar
The E♭ minor scale has 7 notes: E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭ and D♭. The natural minor scale (also called the Aeolian mode) lowers the 3rd, 6th and 7th of the major scale. It gives minor keys their darker, more serious colour.
Notes in E♭ minor
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
- Step pattern
- W – H – W – W – H – W – W
- Notes
- 7
Tap a note to hear it.
E♭ minor across the neck
Every E♭ minor note on the first 12 frets in standard tuning. Filled dots are the root, E♭. A good place to start: E♭ on the A string is at fret 6, so play the notes between frets 5 and 9 first, then move up the neck.
Intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval from E♭ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E♭ | Root |
| 2 | F | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | G♭ | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | A♭ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | B♭ | Perfect 5th |
| ♭6 | C♭ | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | D♭ | Minor 7th |
Chords in E♭ minor
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these triads. Any of them will sound “at home” with the E♭ minor scale.
H = half step (1 fret), W = whole step (2 frets). Roman numerals: uppercase is major, lowercase is minor, ° is diminished, + is augmented.
Related scales
- Its relative major is F♯ major: the same seven notes, starting from the ♭3rd.
- Drop the 2nd and ♭6th and you get E♭ minor pentatonic. Raise the 7th for E♭ harmonic minor, or the 6th for E♭ Dorian.
Questions
What notes are in the E♭ minor scale?
E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.
Where do I start the E♭ minor scale on guitar?
E♭ on the A string is at fret 6, so play the notes between frets 5 and 9 first. The fretboard map on this page shows every E♭ minor note on the first 12 frets.
What scales are related to E♭ minor?
Its relative major is F♯ major: the same seven notes, starting from the ♭3rd.
More scales
Minor in every key
Other scales from E♭