Chords in the Key of E♭ Minor (6 flats)
E♭ minor is six flats deep, piano ballads and drop-tuned metal. Guitars mostly reach it a half step down, playing Em shapes.
The seven chords
| Degree | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| i | E♭m | minor |
| ii° | F dim | diminished |
| III | G♭ | major |
| iv | A♭m | minor |
| v | B♭m | minor |
| VI | C♭ | major |
| VII | D♭ | major |
E♭m, A♭m, and B♭m are the minors, G♭, C♭, and D♭ the majors, F diminished mostly skipped. The v often turns major, B♭7, when the song wants a harder pull home. That raised note is harmonic minor at work.
Common progressions
E♭m, C♭, D♭. Rock's minor lane, Zeppelin through grunge.
E♭m, A♭m, B♭7. The minor cadence with the major V pulling it home.
Scales to solo with
E♭ minor pentatonic is the default lead scale, and the E♭ blues scale adds the ♭5. F♯ major pentatonic is the same five notes from the relative major side.
Keep exploring
Relative major
Parallel major
Neighbor keys, one accidental away
Key of E♭ Minor FAQ
What chords are in the key of E♭ minor?
E♭m, F diminished, G♭, A♭m, B♭m, C♭, and D♭. In practice the v is often played major or as B♭7 for a stronger pull back to E♭m.
What is the relative major of E♭ minor?
G♭ major. Same key signature, same seven chords, with G♭ treated as home.
Why does E♭ minor use B♭7 if it isn't in the key?
The natural minor's v chord is B♭m, and it pulls home gently. Raising its third turns it into B♭7, which pulls to E♭m much harder. That raised note comes from the harmonic minor scale, and cadences borrowed it so often it became the default.