Skip to content

Guitar scales · Major (Ionian)

E♭ major scale on guitar (Eb major)

The E♭ major scale has seven notes: E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C and D. As degrees: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Notes and pattern

The E♭ major scale

The reference scale. Bright and resolved; every other scale is described against it. Play it to hear it up and down.

From note to note it climbs 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2 and 1 : whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

E♭ major has the same notes as C minor, starting from E♭. See that scale.

  1. E♭1
  2. F2
  3. G3
  4. A♭4
  5. B♭5
  6. C6
  7. D7
EADGBE0135791215E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭FGA♭B♭CDFGB♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFG
  • E♭, the root
  • Other scale notes

Positions

E♭ major in five positions

The splits the neck into five overlapping positions, one per shape. Learn one, then join it to the next.

E♭ major · the whole neck

Five positions, each overlapping the next, repeating every 12 frets.

DDCCAGEEEADGBE0135791215E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭FGA♭B♭CDFGB♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFGA♭B♭CDFG
  • Root (E♭)
  • Scale tone

Chords

Chords from the E♭ major scale

Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get its chords.

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Hear the chords and progressions in E♭ major

Same root

Other scales on E♭

Change a note or two and the same takes on a new mood.

Questions

E♭ major, in short

What notes are in the E♭ major scale?
The E♭ major scale has seven notes: E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C and D. As degrees: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
What chords go with the E♭ major scale?
The chords built on E♭ major are E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭, Cm and D°.
What is the relative minor of E♭ major?
E♭ major has the same notes as C minor, starting from E♭.
All guitar scales