E♭ 5-string bass chord

How to play E♭ on 5-string bass

The most common way, the first shape above: your index finger on the B string at the 4th fret, your ring finger on the E string at the 6th fret, your little finger on the A string at the 6th fret and your middle finger on the D string at the 5th fret. Don’t play the G string.

From the B string 4 6 6 5 x (x: not played, 0: open)

What notes are in E♭?

E♭, E♭ major, is E♭, G and B♭: the root (E♭), the major third (G) and the perfect fifth (B♭). Its formula is 1 3 5.

What is the difference between E♭ and E♭m?

One note. E♭ has the major third, G; E♭m lowers it a half step to G♭. That one note turns the bright sound of a major chord into the darker sound of a minor one.

Can I play E♭5 instead?

E♭5, the power chord, is E♭ and B♭ with no third, so it is neither major nor minor. It stands in for E♭ in rock, especially with distortion, where a full chord can sound muddy.

Keys with E♭

E♭ is the I chord in E♭ major, the V chord in A♭ major, the IV chord in B♭ major, the III chord in C minor, the VII chord in F minor and the VI chord in G minor, and the V of G♯ minor, the major fifth chord from its harmonic minor scale.