E-flat major seventh chord (Ebmaj7)
The E♭ major seventh chord (E♭maj7) is a major seventh chord: a major triad with a major seventh on top, E♭, G, B♭ and D (root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh).
It is the Imaj7 in E♭ major and the IVmaj7 in B♭ major; its relative is C minor seventh, and B♭ dominant seventh leads into it as its V7.
Below: voicings, notes on the fretboard, ukulele, piano, inversions and progressions.
How to play E♭ major seventh on guitar
There are 3 guitar voicings.
Frets from the 6th string to the 1st: x = not played, 0 = open string.
- Voicing 1: x-6-5-3-3-3, barre at fret 3, with E♭ in the bass (fingers x-4-3-1-1-1).
- Voicing 2: 11-13-12-12-11-11, movable E-shape barre chord at fret 11, with E♭ in the bass.
- Voicing 3: x-6-8-7-8-6, movable A-shape barre chord at fret 6, with E♭ in the bass.
Notes of the E♭ major seventh chord on the fretboard
E♭ major seventh has 4 notes: E♭, G, B♭ and D. This is where they fall on each string, from the nut to the 12th fret (fret number in parentheses):
- String 6 (E): G (3) · B♭ (6) · D (10) · E♭ (11)
- String 5 (A): B♭ (1) · D (5) · E♭ (6) · G (10)
- String 4 (D): D (0) · E♭ (1) · G (5) · B♭ (8) · D (12)
- String 3 (G): G (0) · B♭ (3) · D (7) · E♭ (8) · G (12)
- String 2 (B): D (3) · E♭ (4) · G (8) · B♭ (11)
- String 1 (E): G (3) · B♭ (6) · D (10) · E♭ (11)
Formula and intervals of E♭ major seventh
Its formula is 1-3-5-7; in semitones from the root, 0-4-7-11.
- E♭: Root, the note that gives the chord its name
- G: Major third (M3), 4 semitones above E♭
- B♭: Perfect fifth (P5), 7 semitones above E♭
- D: Major seventh (M7), 11 semitones above E♭
E♭ major seventh on ukulele
- Ukulele (G C E A): 3-3-3-5, barre at fret 3; it sounds B♭, E♭, G and D.
E♭ major seventh on piano
- Keys: E♭4, G4, B♭4 and D5.
Inversions of E♭ major seventh
Each inversion puts a different note in the bass.
- Root position: E♭, G, B♭ and D, with E♭ in the bass.
- First inversion (E♭maj7/G): G, B♭, D and E♭, with G in the bass.
- Second inversion (E♭maj7/B♭): B♭, D, E♭ and G, with B♭ in the bass.
- Third inversion (E♭maj7/D): D, E♭, G and B♭, with D in the bass.
Keys that use E♭ major seventh
E♭ major seventh appears in 4 major and minor keys.
| Key | Degree | Function |
|---|---|---|
| E♭ major (3 flats) | Imaj7 | Tonic |
| B♭ major (2 flats) | IVmaj7 | Subdominant |
| C minor (3 flats) | IIImaj7 | Mediant |
| G minor (2 flats) | VImaj7 | Submediant |
Progressions with E♭ major seventh
- Jazz ii–V–I in E♭ major (ii7–V7–Imaj7): Fm7 – B♭7 – E♭maj7
E♭ major seventh or D♯ major seventh?
E♭ major seventh (E♭maj7) and D♯ major seventh (D♯maj7) are the same chord with two names: they sound the same and use the same frets.
The spelling depends on the key: it is written E♭ major seventh in flat keys and D♯ major seventh in sharp keys.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the E♭ major seventh chord?
E♭, G, B♭ and D: root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh. Its formula is 1-3-5-7.
Which keys use E♭ major seventh?
Mainly as the Imaj7 in E♭ major and the IVmaj7 in B♭ major. In total it appears in 4 major and minor keys.
Is D♯ major seventh the same chord as E♭ major seventh?
Yes: D♯ major seventh and E♭ major seventh sound the same and are played the same way. It is written E♭ major seventh in flat keys and D♯ major seventh in sharp keys.
What is the difference between E♭ major seventh and a dominant seventh chord?
The seventh: in E♭ major seventh (E♭, G, B♭ and D) it is major, a half step below the octave, while in a dominant seventh it is minor. That is why E♭ major seventh sounds stable, like a chord of rest, and a dominant seventh wants to resolve.