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E♭ 7th flat 5 chord on bass (E♭7♭5)
Also called or written E♭7♭5, E♭, E♭ Dominant 7th Flat 5 or E♭ 7th ♭5
E♭ 7th flat 5 contains E♭, G, B♭♭ and D♭. The 11th-fret shape is high on the neck, where the frets are close and the stretch is easier.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♭5, ♭7
- Root positionE♭–G–B♭♭–D♭E♭7♭511-12-11-12
- First inversionG–B♭♭–D♭–E♭E♭7♭5/Gno shape on this instrument
- Second inversionB♭♭–D♭–E♭–GE♭7♭5/B♭♭5-6-5-6
- Third inversionD♭–E♭–G–B♭♭E♭7♭5/D♭no shape on this instrument
How do you play an E♭ 7th flat 5 chord on bass?
E♭ 7th flat 5 is played at the 11th fret as 11 12 11 12: index finger on the E string at fret 11, ring finger on the A string at fret 12, middle finger on the D string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 11 | 1 | E♭ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 12 | 3 | B♭♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 11 | 2 | D♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (G) | 12 | 4 | G (3) |
AdvancedThe 11th-fret shape requires the pinky to reach fret 12 on the 1st string while the index holds fret 11 on the 4th string, stretching the left hand.
E♭7♭5/B♭♭ inversion
E♭ 7th flat 5 is played at the 5th fret as 5 6 5 6: index finger on the E string at fret 5, ring finger on the A string at fret 6, middle finger on the D string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 5 | 1 | B♭♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (A) | 6 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 5 | 2 | G (3) |
| 1 (G) | 6 | 4 | D♭ (♭7) |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ 7th flat 5 is built from the formula 1, 3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between E♭ and B♭♭ gives the chord its tense colour. Compare it with E♭ 7th, where the 5th is perfect.
What goes wrong with E♭ 7th flat 5?
- Letting the pinky collapse on the 1st string, which mutes the D♭ at fret 12.
- Pressing the ring finger too flat on the 3rd string, so it deadens the 2nd string next to it.
- Striking the open 5th string, which is not part of the chord and adds an unwanted E♭.
When to use it
Use the supplied linked chords to hear its tension without adding unsupported harmony. Use it over E♭ 7th when the melody carries a ♭5. Its tense sound suits turnarounds and passing chords.
Changing to and from E♭ 7th flat 5
- Move to C♯ 7th flat 5 by sliding the shape down two frets to the 9th fret.
- Move to D 7th flat 5 by sliding the shape down one fret to the 10th fret.
Which voicing to use
The 11th-fret shape keeps E♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. The E♭7♭5/A inversion at fret 5 puts the ♭5 in the bass, creating a darker, less stable feel.
Other E♭ chords
Common questions
How is E♭ 7th flat 5 written?
E♭ 7th flat 5 is written E♭7♭5 or Eb7♭5. The symbol E♭ is also used, and the chord is sometimes called Dominant 7th Flat 5. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between E♭7♭5 and E♭7?
E♭7♭5 has a diminished 5th (B♭♭) instead of the perfect 5th (B♭) in E♭7. That one note changes the chord from bluesy to tense and unresolved.
Can E♭7♭5 be used in place of E♭7?
E♭7♭5 can replace E♭7 when the melody or solo uses the ♭5. In a standard blues, the ♭5 may clash with the expected perfect 5th, so use it selectively.