E♭ Minor Scale (Eb)
The Eb minor scale (also called Eb natural minor or Eb Aeolian) contains Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – Db. Its key signature has 6 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb and Cb. It uses the same piano keys as D# minor, spelled D# – E# – F# – G# – A# – B – C# (6 sharps).
| Note | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | Cb | Db | Eb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Left hand | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Piano fingering for one octave going up; 1 is the thumb. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.
Eb minor scale fingering
Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to F and Cb. Left hand, going up: finger 4 crosses over the thumb to Gb and finger 3 crosses over the thumb to Db. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.
Key signature
Eb minor has 6 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb and Cb. Its relative major is Gb major, which uses the same notes and key signature. See the chords in the key of Eb minor and of F# major.
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Semitones from Eb |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eb | 0 |
| 2 | F | 2 |
| b3 | Gb | 3 |
| 4 | Ab | 5 |
| 5 | Bb | 7 |
| b6 | Cb | 8 |
| b7 | Db | 10 |
Step pattern
The Natural Minor scale is built from the pattern W – H – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same mode in a different key.
Chords in Eb Natural Minor
Building a triad on each degree of the scale gives you the chords that belong to it. These are the chords to reach for when writing in Eb Natural Minor.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Ebm | Eb Gb Bb |
| 2 | ii° | Fdim | F Ab Cb |
| 3 | III | Gb | Gb Bb Db |
| 4 | iv | Abm | Ab Cb Eb |
| 5 | v | Bbm | Bb Db F |
| 6 | VI | Cb | Cb Eb Gb |
| 7 | VII | Db | Db F Ab |
Other modes on Eb
More scales on Eb
Natural Minor scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the Eb Natural Minor scale?
The Eb Natural Minor scale contains Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, then returns to Eb an octave higher.
What is the fingering for the Eb minor scale on piano?
Going up from Eb to Eb, the right hand plays 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 and the left hand plays 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2, where 1 is the thumb. Coming down, use the same fingers in reverse.
How many flats are in Eb minor?
Eb minor has 6 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb and Cb.
What is the step pattern of the Natural Minor scale?
The Natural Minor scale follows the whole/half step pattern W – H – W – W – H – W – W, where W is a whole step (two semitones) and H is a half step (one semitone).
Which chords work with the Eb Natural Minor scale?
The diatonic chords are Ebm, Fdim, Gb, Abm, Bbm, Cb, Db. Each is built only from notes of the Eb Natural Minor scale, so they all belong to the same tonality — though the diminished chord carries a tritone and normally wants to resolve.