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Eb7 Chord

Eb7 adds D flat to the E flat major triad. That flat seventh makes it useful before a chord whose root lies a fifth below E flat.

  • Notes: E flat-G-B flat-D flat
  • Symbol: Eb7
  • V7 in Ab major
  • Flat seventh
Switch chordEb7

How to play an Eb7 chord

Notes: Eb - G - Bb - Db · symbol Eb7

  • Root position

    Eb - G - Bb - Db
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

  • 1st inversion

    G - Bb - Db - Eb
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left 5-4-2-1

  • 2nd inversion

    Bb - Db - Eb - G
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

  • 3rd inversion

    Db - Eb - G - Bb
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

Where does Eb7 belong?

In Ab major, Eb7 acts as V7 and points toward the tonic.
Play the role cards to hear how its surrounding chords change the job it does; Diatonic Chords explains the basic numbered roles.

  • In Ab majorDominant
    V7

    It resolves to Ab: G rises to A flat and D flat falls a half step.

    AbIDbIVEb7V7AbI
  • In Ab minorMinor-key dominant
    V7

    The same pull in Ab minor, where harmonic minor supplies the raised G.

    AbmiDbmivEb7V7Abmi
  • In Eb bluesBlues home
    I7

    In a 12-bar blues the home chord is itself a 7 chord, and it does not need to resolve.

    Eb7I7Ab7IV7Eb7I7Bb7V7
  • In Db majorSecondary dominant
    II7

    In Db major it borrows a pull toward Ab, the V of that key.

    DbIEb7II7AbVDbI

Progressions to try

  • AbDbEb7Ab

    Eb7 is V7 in Ab major; hear its seventh and third lean into the last chord.

  • AbmDbmEb7Abm

    The same dominant shape leads into a minor tonic in Ab minor.

  • Eb7Ab7Eb7Bb7

    In Eb blues, the tonic itself carries a seventh; the loop returns to Eb7 without losing that blues color.

  • DbEb7AbDb

    Eb7 briefly acts as a secondary dominant, pointing toward the chord after it rather than the main tonic.

Which shape should you use?

On guitar, start with x68686, a barre at the 6th fret. Press the barred notes evenly and mute any strings marked x. The 11-13-11-12-11-11 shape gives you another position when the neighboring chords sit elsewhere on the neck.

On ukulele, the open shape 0334 is the easiest place to start. The 3334 grip moves the chord to another register.

On piano, play E flat-G-B flat-D flat. Move E flat up an octave to reach the first inversion, G-B flat-D flat-E flat; the notes remain the same while the lowest voice changes.

What are the inversions?

E flat is the root, G the major third, B flat the fifth and D flat the flat seventh, ten semitones above the root.

  • Root position: E flat-G-B flat-D flat, with E flat lowest.
  • First inversion: G-B flat-D flat-E flat, written Eb7/G if G is lowest in the whole arrangement.
  • Second inversion: B flat-D flat-E flat-G, written Eb7/Bb if B flat is lowest in the whole arrangement.
  • Third inversion: D flat-E flat-G-B flat, written Eb7/Db if D flat is lowest in the whole arrangement.

A slash chord names the note in the bass, not merely the lowest note under one hand. Chord Inversions shows how to read that distinction.

How does Eb7 differ from Ebmaj7?

Keep E flat, G and B flat; raise the seventh from D flat to D. The result is Ebmaj7, whose major seventh changes the pull. Try that one-note change on piano, then use the comparer to hear it in the full chord. See Ebmaj7 for the other chord's full spelling and roles.

  • Eb7

    Eb - G - Bb - Db
    C4C5

    Eb dominant 7

  • Ebmaj7

    Eb - G - Bb - D
    C4C5

    Eb major 7

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