This article on E Flat Natural Minor scale details its music theory like notes, intervals, staff notation, CAGED patterns on the guitar fretboard, guitar tabs, recommended fingering, chords formed by harmonizing the scale, its modes, related keys, popular songs in the key, etc.
Read the complete article to know all about the E Flat minor scale!
Introduction To E Flat Natural Minor scale
Ernst Pauer has defined the E Flat Minor key as the darkest, most somber key of all. It is rarely used in Western classical music. But it has been used in Russian music a lot.
The list of symphonies in the Eb natural minor key is attached here.
E Flat Minor Scale Notes
The notes any natural minor scale are given by the formula {W H W W H W W}:
- 1st Note – Root – Eb
- 2nd Note – M2 – F
- 3rd Note – m3 – Gb
- 4th Note – P4 – Ab
- 5th Note – P5 – Bb
- 6th Note – m6 – Cb
- 7th Note – m7 – Db
The notes of the Eb Minor scale are {Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb(O)}, where Eb(O) is the Eb note one octave higher than the root.
You can see that the key signature of the E Flat natural minor scale has six flats. Playing it on a piano keyboard requires two white and five black keys. The notes of E Flat minor are shown on the piano keyboard below.
E Flat harmonic minor scale: {Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, D, and Eb(O)}.
E Flat melodic minor scale (ascending): {Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, and Eb(O)}.
Scale Degrees
| Intervals | Root | M2 | m3 | P4 | P5 | m6/M6 | m7/M7 | P8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale Degrees | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1(8) |
| Natural Minor | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | Cb | Db | Eb(O) |
| Harmonic Minor | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | Cb | D | Eb(O) |
| Melodic Minor | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | C | D | Eb(O) |
E Flat Minor Scale On The Treble And Bass Clef:
Treble Clef:
Bass Clef:
E Flat Minor Scale Guitar Positions
Linked CAGED Patterns.
The Eb Flat Minor scale exists in a straight line on the D string.
Five CAGED Patterns
Guitar Tabs For The CAGED Patterns
E Shaped Scale Pattern
D Shaped Pattern
C Shaped Pattern
A Shaped Pattern
G Shaped Pattern
Fingering Arrangement For Scale Patterns
The Chords Of The E Flat Minor Key
| Scale Degrees | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord Designation | i | iidim | III | iv | v | VI | VII |
| Chord Names | Ebm | Fdim | Gb | Abm | Bbm | Cb | Db |
| Chord Quality | minor | diminished | Major | minor | minor | Major | Major |
The following triad chords result from the E Flat minor scale.
- Three Major chords – III, VI, and VII – Gb, Cb, and Db Major chords.
- Three minor chords – i, iv, and v – Ebm, Abm, and Bbm.
- One diminished chord, the ii°, Fdim.
- Dominant Chord – Bb major formed from the 5th scale degree of the Eb Harmonic Minor scale.
Note Names In These Triad Chords.
| Scale Degrees | Intervals | Chord Notes | Chord Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R – Eb – m3 – Gb – M3 – Bb | Eb – Gb – Bb | Ebm |
| 2 | R – F – m3 – Ab – m3 – Cb | F – Ab – Cb | Fdim |
| 3 | R – Gb – M3 – Bb – m3 – Db | Gb – Bb – Db | Gb |
| 4 | R – Ab – m3 – Cb – M3 – Eb | Ab – Cb – Eb | Abm |
| 5 | R – Bb – m3 – Db – M3 – F | Bb – Db – F | Bbm |
| 6 | R – Cb – M3 – Eb – m3 – Gb | Cb – Eb – Gb | Cb |
| 7 | R – Db – M3 – F – m3 – Ab | Db – F – Ab | Db |
7th Chords Of B Flat Minor Scale
| Scale Degrees | Chord Name | Roman N Designation | Chord Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ebm7 | im7 | Eb - Gb - Bb - Db |
| 2 | Fm7b5 | iiø7 | F - Ab - Cb - Eb |
| 3 | GbMaj7 | IIIM7 | Gb - Bb - Db - F |
| 4 | Abm7 | ivm7 | Ab - Cb - Eb - Gb |
| 5 | Bbm7 | vm7 | Bb – Db – F - Ab |
| 6 | GbMaj7 | VIM7 | Gb – Bb – Db - F |
| 7 | Db7 | VII7 | Db – F – Ab - Cb |
Relative & Parallel Minor Of E Flat Minor
Relative Major Key: G Flat Major Scale {Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, and F.}. Relative major and minor scales have the same notes.
Parallel scale: E Flat Major scale {Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, and D}. Its key signature has three flats.
Enharmonic equivalent: D Sharp Minor with notes {D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B, and C#}. Its key signature has six sharps.
Songs In The Key Of E Flat Minor
Some of the popular songs in the key of E Flat Minor Scale are:
- “River Lea” by Adele.
- “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder.
- “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac.
- “The Final Countdown” by Europe.
- “November Rain” by Guns N Roses.
- “Take a Look Around.” by Limp Bizkit.
- “Die Young” by Black Sabbath.
- “Jesus Walks” by Kayne West.
- “Midnight Love” by Marvin Gaye.
- “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child.
The Modes of the E Flat Minor Scale
The 7 diatonic modes of the E Flat Natural Minor Scale are:
- E Flat – Aeolian Mode.
- F – Locrian Mode.
- G Flat – Ionian Mode.
- A Flat – Dorian Mode.
- B Flat – Phrygian Mode.
- C Flat – Lydian Mode.
- D Flat – Mixolydian Mode.
Conclusion
I hope you have received the desired information on the E Flat Natural Minor Scale and are now in the position to start practicing it. We urge you to put in a practice routine to master it. If you have any comments or need any additional clarifications, write to us in the section below.
