Eb major chords, relative minor and Camelot code (5B)
E♭ major has 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭). Its chords are E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭, Cm and D°. The relative minor is C minor and the Camelot code is 5B, so it mixes cleanly with 4B, 6B and 5A.
Notes in the E♭ major scale
E♭ major has 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭). It sounds identical to D♯ major, which is the same set of pitches spelled differently; E♭ major is the usual spelling.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E♭ | F | G | A♭ | B♭ | C | D |
Chords in E♭ major
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get the seven chords that belong to the key:
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I | E♭ | E♭ · G · B♭ |
| ii | Fm | F · A♭ · C |
| iii | Gm | G · B♭ · D |
| IV | A♭ | A♭ · C · E♭ |
| V | B♭ | B♭ · D · F |
| vi | Cm | C · E♭ · G |
| vii° | D° | D · F · A♭ |
Common progressions in E♭ major
- E♭ – B♭ – Cm – A♭ (I–V–vi–IV): the most used pop progression of the last forty years.
- E♭ – Cm – A♭ – B♭ (I–vi–IV–V): the 1950s doo-wop turnaround.
- Fm – B♭ – E♭ (ii–V–I): the jazz cadence.
- Cm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭ (vi–IV–I–V): the same four chords as I–V–vi–IV, started on the minor chord for a darker feel.
Keys that mix with E♭ major
E♭ major is 5B on the Camelot wheel. For a clean blend, go to a key next to it:
| Camelot | Key | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 4B | A♭ major | One step round the wheel: shares six of its seven notes |
| 6B | B♭ major | One step the other way: also shares six of seven notes |
| 5A | C minor | The relative minor: exactly the same notes |
How the wheel works is in the Camelot wheel explained, and how to use it in a set is in harmonic mixing for DJs.
Relative and parallel keys
The relative minor, C minor, uses exactly the same notes with a different home chord. The parallel minor, E♭ minor, keeps E♭ as home but changes three notes. More on the difference in relative major and minor keys.
Questions people ask
What chords are in E♭ major?
E♭ (I), Fm (ii), Gm (iii), A♭ (IV), B♭ (V), Cm (vi) and D° (vii°).
What is the relative minor of E♭ major?
C minor. It uses the same 7 notes, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D, but centres on C instead of E♭.
What is the Camelot code for E♭ major?
5B. In Open Key notation it is 10d.
What keys mix well with E♭ major?
A♭ major (4B), B♭ major (6B) and C minor (5A). They sit next to 5B on the Camelot wheel.
How many sharps or flats does E♭ major have?
3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭).