E♭m7 guitar chord
The E♭ minor 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♭m7
- Notes
- E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭
- Formula
- 1 – b3 – 5 – b7
- Name
- E♭ minor 7th
E♭m7E♭ · G♭ · B♭ · D♭
2 ways to play it · Tuning E A D G B E
- D shape · 1st fret
- A shape · 6th fret
What to play over E♭m7
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.
- D# Dorian mode
The usual choice over m7, especially a ii7 in a ii–V–I.
- D# minor pentatonic scale
The safe start — it holds all four notes of the chord.
- D# natural minor scale
The natural minor, when the chord is the home chord (i7).
Questions
What notes are in a E♭m7 chord?
E♭m7 has 4 notes: E♭, G♭, B♭, D♭. Counted from the root, its formula is 1 – b3 – 5 – b7.
What scale goes with E♭m7?
D# Dorian mode is the place to start. The usual choice over m7, especially a ii7 in a ii–V–I.