Chords in the Key of E♭ (3 flats)
E♭ is where horn bands put songs, three flats. Guitarists get there by capo 1 out of D shapes or by tuning down a half step and playing E shapes. Soul and Motown charts default to it.
The seven chords
| Degree | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| I | E♭ | major |
| ii | Fm | minor |
| iii | Gm | minor |
| IV | A♭ | major |
| V | B♭ | major |
| vi | Cm | minor |
| vii° | D dim | diminished |
E♭, A♭, and B♭ are the majors, Fm, Gm, and Cm the minors, and D diminished gets skipped by most guitar arrangements. Plenty of songs in E♭ never leave E♭, A♭, B♭, and Cm.
Common progressions
E♭, A♭, B♭. The I, IV, V, and the whole three-chord songbook with it.
E♭, B♭, Cm, A♭. The four-chord pop axis. Several decades of hits use exactly this.
Scales to solo with
E♭ major pentatonic is the lead scale for the major-key sound. C minor pentatonic is the same five notes from the relative minor side.
Keep exploring
Relative minor
Parallel minor
Neighbor keys, one accidental away
Key of E♭ FAQ
What chords are in the key of E♭?
E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭, Cm, and D diminished. The I, IV, and V are E♭, A♭, and B♭, and the relative minor is Cm.
What is the relative minor of E♭ major?
C minor. Same key signature, same seven chords, with Cm treated as home.
How many sharps or flats does the key of E♭ have?
3 flats, B♭ and E♭.