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Guitar chords · Minor 7th

E♭m7 chord on guitar (Ebm7)

E♭m7 (E♭ minor 7th) has four notes: E♭, G♭, B♭ and D♭, the , ♭3, 5 and ♭7.

Shapes

How to play E♭m7

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

E♭m7 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 6 or the E shape at fret 11. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 6

    6fr×R5♭7♭35E♭B♭D♭G♭B♭
  • E shape · fret 11

    11frR5♭7♭35RE♭B♭D♭G♭B♭E♭
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes E♭m7 minor 7th

A minor is a minor chord with a minor 7th added. It is mellower than a plain minor chord, and it is the ii chord of the ii–V–I in jazz and soul.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd and the ♭7th make E♭m7 a minor ; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. E♭Rroot
  2. G♭♭3essential
  3. B♭5optional
  4. D♭♭7essential
EADGBE0135791215E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭G♭B♭D♭G♭B♭D♭G♭B♭G♭B♭D♭B♭D♭G♭B♭D♭G♭B♭D♭G♭B♭D♭G♭
  • E♭, the root
  • Other chord tones

E♭m7 often leads to A♭7 and then D♭: the ii7–V7–I of D♭ major.

E♭m7 and D♯m7 are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with E♭m7

E♭m7 belongs to six keys: C♭ major (iii7), G♭ major (vi7), D♭ major (ii7), A♭ minor (v7), E♭ minor (i7) and B♭ minor (iv7).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Progressions

Progressions with E♭m7

Common progressions that use E♭m7, each in a key that spells it E♭m7. The outlined chord is E♭m7.

  • Jazz ii–V–I in D♭ major

    ii7 – V7 – Imaj7

    1. E♭m7
    2. A♭7
    3. D♭maj7

    Each chord falls a fifth to the next — a walk anticlockwise around the circle.

    Heard in Autumn Leaves, Fly Me to the Moon

  • Minor ii–V–i in E♭ minor

    iiø7 – V7 – i7

    1. Fm7♭5
    2. B♭7
    3. E♭m7

    Half-diminished ii, dominant V7 and back to the minor tonic.

    Heard in Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves

Slash chords

E♭m7 over another bass note

A keeps E♭m7 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • E♭m7/G♭

    E♭m7 with its ♭3rd, G♭, in the bass: the first inversion.

  • E♭m7/B♭

    E♭m7 with its 5th, B♭, in the bass: the second inversion.

  • E♭m7/D♭

    E♭m7 with its ♭7th, D♭, in the bass: the third inversion.

Questions

E♭m7, in short

What notes are in the E♭m7 chord?
E♭m7 (E♭ minor 7th) has four notes: E♭, G♭, B♭ and D♭, the , ♭3, 5 and ♭7.
How do you play E♭m7 on guitar?
E♭m7 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 6 or the E shape at fret 11.
What key is E♭m7 in?
E♭m7 belongs to six keys: C♭ major (iii7), G♭ major (vi7), D♭ major (ii7), A♭ minor (v7), E♭ minor (i7) and B♭ minor (iv7).
Is E♭m7 the same as D♯m7?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. E♭m7 is the spelling in C♭ major, G♭ major, D♭ major, A♭ minor, E♭ minor and B♭ minor; D♯m7 in B major, F♯ major, C♯ major, G♯ minor, D♯ minor and A♯ minor.
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