Explore chords · Ukulele
E♭ 5th chord on ukulele (E♭5)
Also called or written E♭5, E♭ or E♭ power chord
E♭ 5th contains E♭ and B♭. This power chord at the 8th fret requires muting two strings, a typical intermediate challenge.
How it is built
Formula 1, 5
How do you play an E♭ 5th chord on ukulele?
E♭ 5th is played at the 8th fret as 8 10 × ×: index finger on the G string at fret 8 and middle finger on the C string at fret 10. The E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 1 | E♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 2 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (A) | muted | — | — |
IntermediateThe index and middle fingers must fret cleanly while both remaining strings are muted, requiring precise finger placement.
3rd fret
E♭ 5th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 3 × ×: index finger on the G string at fret 3 and middle finger on the C string at fret 3. The E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (A) | muted | — | — |
E♭5/B♭ inversion · fret 6
E♭ 5th is played at the 6th fret as × × 6 6: index finger on the E string at fret 6 and middle finger on the A string at fret 6. The G and C strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | muted | — | — |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
E♭5/B♭ inversion · fret 10
E♭ 5th is played at the 10th fret as × 10 11 ×: index finger on the C string at fret 10 and middle finger on the E string at fret 11. The G and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ 5th is built from the formula 1, 5, using the root E♭ and its perfect fifth B♭. The perfect fifth gives the chord its strong, hollow sound. Compare E♭ 5th with E♭ major, which adds the major third G.
What goes wrong with E♭ 5th?
- Letting the E or A string ring open because the muting finger is not touching it.
- Pressing the G string too hard and pulling it sharp.
- Flattening the middle finger onto the E string and accidentally fretting it.
When to use it
E♭ 5th functions as a power chord in E♭ major progressions like E♭–A♭–B♭, the I–IV–V in E♭ major. E♭ 5th suits rock and blues where a neutral fifth sound is preferred.
Changing to and from E♭ 5th
- Move from E♭ 5th to A♭ major by lifting the middle finger and placing it on the C string 8th fret while the index stays on the G string 8th fret.
- Slide E♭ 5th up one fret to E 5th by moving both fingers together from the 8th fret to the 9th fret.
Which voicing to use
The 8th fret position keeps E♭ in the bass for a grounded sound. The E♭5/A♯ inversions put B♭ in the bass, which lightens the chord and works well when moving to A♭ major or C minor.
Other E♭ chords
Common questions
How is E♭ 5th written?
E♭ 5th is written as E♭5 or E♭. On a keyboard you may see Eb5 because the flat symbol is not always available. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Why does E♭ 5th sound different from E♭ major?
E♭ 5th omits the major third G, leaving only the root and fifth. Without the third the chord has no major or minor quality, which lets it fit both E♭ major and E♭ minor contexts.
Can I play E♭ 5th higher up the neck?
E♭ 5th has no higher position on this page, but you can play the E♭5/A♯ inversion at the 10th fret. That inversion puts the fifth in the bass for a lighter sound.