Chords in the key of E♭ minor
The key of E♭ minor has six flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭). Its seven chords are E♭m, Fdim, G♭, A♭m, B♭m, C♭ and D♭. Tap any of them, or play them in order.
Tap a numeral to hear one chord; tap a shape to open it.
The chords that do most of the work
E♭m is home. A♭m (iv) moves away from it. The natural-minor chord on the fifth degree is B♭m (v), which pulls only gently. Using B♭ (V) or B♭7 (V7) raises the 7th to D, as in harmonic minor, for a stronger return to E♭m. C♭ (VI) and D♭ (VII) give minor keys their big, open rock and film sound.
Key signature
E♭ minor has six flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭), written at the start of every line so you don't have to mark them on each note. Flat keys add one flat per step counterclockwise around the circle of fifths: E♭ minor sits between B♭ minor and G♯ minor.
The notes of the key are the E♭ natural minor scale: E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭. Relative major: F♯ major (same notes). Parallel major: E♭ major (same starting note).
Progressions in E♭ minor
Press play to hear i–VI–III–VII in E♭ minor, then use the key menu to move it.
In E♭ minor, 4 beats per chord. Open in the progression builder
- iE♭m
- VIC♭
- IIIG♭
- VIID♭
| Progression | In E♭ minor | |
|---|---|---|
| i–VI–III–VII the minor anthem | E♭m – C♭ – G♭ – D♭ | |
| i–iv–V the minor cadence | E♭m – A♭m – B♭ – E♭m | |
| i–VII–VI–V the Andalusian cadence | E♭m – D♭ – C♭ – B♭ | |
| i–VII–VI–VII the epic minor loop | E♭m – D♭ – C♭ – D♭ |
Secondary dominants in E♭ minor
A secondary dominant is the dominant seventh chord a fifth above any chord of the key. Play it just before that chord and the arrival sounds stronger, as if the song briefly changed key.
- V7 of III
- V7 of iv
- V7 of v
- V7 of VI
- V7 of VII
Borrowing from E♭ major
Minor-key songs often take chords from E♭ major, the parallel major: A♭ (IV), E♭ (I) and Fm (ii). The major IV gives a brighter, Dorian lift, and ending a minor piece on the major I is the old "Picardy third".
Seventh chords in E♭ minor
Add the next note of the scale on top of each chord and you get the key's seventh chords: E♭m7, Fm7♭5, G♭maj7, A♭m7, B♭m7, C♭maj7 and D♭7. With the borrowed major V it becomes B♭7.
Playing in E♭ minor on guitar
E♭ minor is awkward in open position, so most guitarists use a capo: capo 1st fret with D minor shapes or capo 6th fret with A minor shapes. Barre chords work too.
Transpose a chord chart · How a capo works
Other keys
Key of E♭ minor: questions
What chords are in the key of E♭ minor?
E♭m, Fdim, G♭, A♭m, B♭m, C♭ and D♭. As numerals: i = E♭m, ii° = Fdim, III = G♭, iv = A♭m, v = B♭m, VI = C♭, VII = D♭. Most songs in E♭ minor also use B♭ (major V) in place of B♭m.
How many sharps or flats are in E♭ minor?
Six flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭).
What is the relative major of E♭ minor?
F♯ major. It uses the same key signature; the difference is which chord feels like home.
What are the i, iv and V chords in E♭ minor?
E♭m (i), A♭m (iv) and B♭ (V, borrowed from the harmonic minor). With those three you can accompany most folk and blues tunes in the key.
How do I play in E♭ minor on guitar with a capo?
Capo 1st fret, then play D minor shapes (Dm, B♭, F, C); they sound as E♭m, C♭, G♭, D♭.
Every chord and progression on this page is computed from the E♭ natural minor scale and checked by the site's theory tests. Updated September 2026.