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E♭ minor chord on bass (E♭m)
Also called or written E♭m or E♭min
E♭ minor contains E♭, G♭, and B♭. The 11th fret shape is a four-fret stretch for intermediate bassists.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5
- Root positionE♭–G♭–B♭E♭m11-13-13-11
- First inversionG♭–B♭–E♭E♭m/G♭2-1-1-3
- Second inversionB♭–E♭–G♭E♭m/B♭6-6-4-×
How do you play an E♭ minor chord on bass?
E♭ minor is played at the 11th fret as 11 13 13 11: index finger on the E string at fret 11, ring finger on the A string at fret 13, pinky finger on the D string at fret 13 and middle finger on the G string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 11 | 1 | E♭ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 13 | 3 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 13 | 4 | E♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 11 | 2 | G♭ (♭3) |
IntermediateThe distance between index on fret 11 and pinky on fret 13 demands a wide hand span.
E♭min/G♭ inversion · fret 1
E♭ minor is played at the 1st fret as 2 1 1 3: ring finger on the E string at fret 2, index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 2 | 3 | G♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 1 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 3 | 4 | B♭ (5) |
E♭min/G♭ inversion · fret 13
E♭ minor is played at the 13th fret as 14 13 13 15: ring finger on the E string at fret 14, index finger on the A string at fret 13, middle finger on the D string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 15.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 14 | 3 | G♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (A) | 13 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 13 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 15 | 4 | B♭ (5) |
E♭min/B♭ inversion · fret 4
E♭ minor is played at the 4th fret as 6 6 4 ×: middle finger on the E string at fret 6, ring finger on the A string at fret 6 and index finger on the D string at fret 4. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6 | 2 | B♭ (5) |
| 3 (A) | 6 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 4 | 1 | G♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (G) | muted | — | — |
E♭min/B♭ inversion · fret 11
E♭ minor is played at the 11th fret as × 13 13 11: middle finger on the A string at fret 13, ring finger on the D string at fret 13 and index finger on the G string at fret 11. The E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (A) | 13 | 2 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 13 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 11 | 1 | G♭ (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ minor is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5. The minor 3rd between E♭ and G♭ defines the minor quality. Compare with E♭ major, which raises the 3rd to G natural.
What goes wrong with E♭ minor?
- Allowing the ring finger to collapse onto the D string, muffling it.
- Fretting the G string with the middle finger at an angle, causing a buzz.
When to use it
E♭ minor fits ballads and soulful lines. Pair it with B major for a smooth IV movement.
Changing to and from E♭ minor
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 9th fret gives C♯ minor.
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 10th fret gives D minor.
Which voicing to use
The 11th fret position keeps E♭ in the bass for a grounded root. The E♭min/A♯ inversion at 6-6-4-× puts B♭ in the bass, ideal for descending lines.
Other E♭ chords
Common questions
How is E♭ minor written?
E♭ minor is written as E♭m, E♭min, E♭−, or E♭mi. The ASCII root is Eb, so you may see Ebm. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between E♭ minor and E♭ major?
E♭ minor has a G♭, while E♭ major has a G natural. The minor 3rd creates the darker sound.
Can I play E♭ minor without stretching so far?
Yes, the E♭min/A♯ inversion at 6-6-4-× uses a narrower span and still contains all chord tones.