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E♭ major 7th chord on bass (E♭maj7)
Also called or written E♭maj7 or E♭M7
E♭ major 7th contains E♭, G, B♭, and D. The 11th-fret shape demands a wide pinky stretch across four frets.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7
- Root positionE♭–G–B♭–DE♭maj711-13-12-12
- First inversionG–B♭–D–E♭E♭maj7/Gno shape on this instrument
- Second inversionB♭–D–E♭–GE♭maj7/B♭6-6-5-7
- Third inversionD–E♭–G–B♭E♭maj7/D10-10-8-8
How do you play an E♭ major 7th chord on bass?
E♭ major 7th is played at the 11th fret as 11 13 12 12: index finger on the E string at fret 11, pinky finger on the A string at fret 13, middle finger on the D string at fret 12 and ring 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) | 13 | 4 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 12 | 2 | D (7) |
| 1 (G) | 12 | 3 | G (3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach the 13th fret on the 3rd string while the index stays at the 11th fret, stretching the hand.
E♭maj7/B♭ inversion
E♭ major 7th is played at the 5th fret as 6 6 5 7: middle finger on the E string at fret 6, ring finger on the A string at fret 6, index finger on the D string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6 | 2 | B♭ (5) |
| 3 (A) | 6 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 5 | 1 | G (3) |
| 1 (G) | 7 | 4 | D (7) |
E♭maj7/D inversion
E♭ major 7th is played at the 8th fret as 10 10 8 8: ring finger on the E string at fret 10, pinky finger on the A string at fret 10, index finger on the D string at fret 8 and middle finger on the G string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 10 | 3 | D (7) |
| 3 (A) | 10 | 4 | G (3) |
| 2 (D) | 8 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
| 1 (G) | 8 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ major 7th is built from the 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the E♭ major scale. The major 7th interval from E♭ to D gives the chord its bright, resolved quality. Compare it to E♭ major, which omits the D and sounds more plain.
What goes wrong with E♭ major 7th?
- Letting the pinky mute the 2nd string by lying flat.
- Allowing the index finger to roll off the 4th string.
- Plucking the 1st string too hard and making the D ring out harshly.
When to use it
E♭ major 7th is the I chord in E♭ major, as in E♭–A♭–B♭–E♭, the I–IV–V–I. It works for jazz fusion, progressive rock, and atmospheric pop. Use it over E♭ major or E♭ 5th.
Changing to and from E♭ major 7th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 10th fret gives D major 7th.
- From E♭ major 7th, move the pinky from the 3rd string 13th fret to the 2nd string 12th fret to play E♭ major.
Which voicing to use
The 11th-fret shape places E♭ in the bass for a strong root position. The E♭maj7/B♭ inversion at the 6th fret has B♭ in the bass, giving a lighter feel. The E♭maj7/D inversion at the 10th fret puts the leading tone D in the bass, creating tension that resolves to E♭.
Other E♭ chords
Common questions
How is E♭ major 7th written?
E♭ major 7th is written E♭M7 or E♭maj7. The ASCII root spelling is Eb. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the hardest part of E♭ major 7th?
The hardest part is stretching the pinky to the 13th fret while keeping the index on the 11th fret. Practice the stretch slowly to build flexibility.
How does E♭ major 7th differ from E♭ major?
E♭ major 7th adds the D, the major 7th, to the E♭ major triad. That note creates a more sophisticated, jazzy sound.
Can E♭ major 7th be played in a lower register?
Yes, the E♭maj7/B♭ inversion at the 6th fret sits lower on the neck. It sounds warmer and is easier to reach.