E♭ minor chordE♭m

Built from

• E♭root
• G♭minor 3rd
• B♭5th

Lowering the 3rd by one fret is the only difference from major, and it changes the whole mood.

Hear it in a progression

• Epic minor

  Film scores and stadium anthems. In E♭ minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. E♭mi
  2. C♭VI
  3. G♭III
  4. D♭VII

• Minor cadence

  Dark, then a strong pull home. In E♭ minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. E♭mi
  2. A♭miv
  3. B♭7V7
  4. E♭mi

• Andalusian cadence

  Flamenco and surf rock, stepping down. In E♭ minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. E♭mi
  2. D♭VII
  3. C♭VI
  4. B♭V

Where it goes next

Thinking in E♭ minor, where it is the i chord.

• C♭

  VI. Opens up into something bittersweet.

• A♭m

  iv. Goes darker still.

• D♭

  VII. Steps down: a rock and folk staple.

• G♭

  III. Brightens into the relative major.

Sounds close

• Bmaj7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have E♭, G♭ and B♭.

• G♭

  Its relative major: same key, brighter. Both have G♭ and B♭.

• B

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have E♭ and G♭.

• Cm7

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have E♭ and B♭.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• E♭ minor
• E♭ minor pentatonic
• E♭ blues
• E♭ dorian
• E♭ phrygian
• E♭ harmonic minor

Keys it lives in

• E♭ minoras i
• G♯ minoras v
• B♭ minoras iv
• F♯ majoras vi
• D♭ majoras ii
• B majoras iii