E♭ major 7th chord on bass (E♭maj7)

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♭.