Bass · major

E♭ major scale on bass

The E♭ major scale has seven notes: E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C and D (1 2 3 4 5 6 7). The do-re-mi scale that every other scale is measured against. Bright and settled; it fits major and maj7 chords, and the other six modes are this scale started from a different note.

The notes of the E♭ major scale
NoteE♭FGA♭B♭CD
Interval1 (root)234567
Step to the nextwholewholehalfwholewholewholehalf
Make a practice sheet of it
The whole neckevery E♭ major scale note from the nut to fret 15, the root a diamond
EADG135791215open234567R23567R234567R234567R234567R2345

7 positions to learn it in

Played three notes on every string, the E♭ major scale has a position starting on each of its notes. They are good for speed, with the same picking pattern on every string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.

Position 1frets 1–5
EADG135open234567R23456
Position 2frets 3–7
EADG235734567R234567
Position 3frets 4–8
EADG35794567R234567R
Position 4frets 6–10
EADG579567R234567R2
Position 5frets 8–12
EADG791267R234567R23
Position 6frets 10–13
EADG9127R234567R234
Position 7frets 11–15
EADG101215R234567R2345

Chords that go with the E♭ major scale

The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; E♭ (E♭) is where it sounds at home.

Scales with the same notes

Its relative minor is the C minor scale: the same notes, started from C.

The chords of this key, to hear and play: chords in the key of E♭ major.

Questions

What notes are in the E♭ major scale?

E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C and D. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, and the steps between its notes are W W H W W W H (W a whole step, H a half step).

What chords go with the E♭ major scale?

The chords made only of its notes: E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭, Cm and Ddim, and as seventh chords E♭maj7, Fm7, Gm7, A♭maj7, B♭7, Cm7 and Dm7♭5. E♭ is home: E♭ is the chord it sounds most settled over.

What is the relative minor of the E♭ major scale?

The C minor scale, which has the same notes started from C.

The major scale in every key

CD♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B

Other scales in E♭

E♭ minorE♭ minor pentatonicE♭ major pentatonicE♭ bluesE♭ DorianE♭ MixolydianE♭ LydianE♭ PhrygianE♭ harmonic minorE♭ melodic minorE♭ Phrygian dominant

Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: bass scales. This scale on guitar, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.