E♭7 guitar chord
The E♭ dominant 7th chord: every way to play it on the neck, the notes in it, and the scales that sound good over it.
What's in E♭7
- Notes
- E♭ – G – B♭ – D♭
- Formula
- 1 – 3 – 5 – b7
- Name
- E♭ dominant 7th
E♭7E♭ · G · B♭ · D♭
4 ways to play it · Tuning E A D G B E
- D shape · 1st fret
- C shape · 4th fret
- A shape · 6th fret
- G shape · 8th fret
What to play over E♭7
Start with the chord's own notes — E♭, G, B♭, D♭ — and land on them on the strong beats. Then reach for a scale; which one depends on the chord's job in the song.
- E♭ Mixolydian mode
The dominant chord’s own scale: its four notes plus the 2, 4 and 6.
- E♭ major pentatonic scale
Five notes that sit right on top of the chord.
- D# blues scale
For blues: the ♭3 rubbing against the chord’s 3 is the whole point.
- E♭ Phrygian dominant scale
When the chord resolves to a minor chord a fourth up (V7 to i): the ♭9 and ♭13 pull hard.
Questions
What notes are in a E♭7 chord?
E♭7 has 4 notes: E♭, G, B♭, D♭. Counted from the root, its formula is 1 – 3 – 5 – b7.
What scale goes with E♭7?
E♭ Mixolydian mode is the place to start. The dominant chord’s own scale: its four notes plus the 2, 4 and 6.