Tools / Chords / E♭ augmented major 7th

E♭ augmented major 7th chord on ukulele (E♭augMaj7)

Also written E♭augMaj7, E♭augM7 or E♭+M7

E♭ augmented major 7th contains E♭, G, B, and D. The default voicing spans frets 3–5 and requires a stretch between the index and pinky.

3rd fret4-3-3-5

Positions on the neck1 of 2

How it’s built

E♭1Root

G3Major 3rd

B♯5Augmented 5th

D7Major 7th

Formula 1, 3, ♯5, 7

Positions on the neck1 of 2

Inversions

The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.

Root positionE♭–G–B–DE♭augMaj7Bass E♭

First inversionG–B–D–E♭E♭augMaj7/GBass G

Second inversionB–D–E♭–GE♭augMaj7/BBass B

Third inversionD–E♭–G–BE♭augMaj7/DBass D

Why it sounds like that

E♭ augmented major 7th is built from 1, 3, ♯5, and 7. The augmented 5th B gives the chord its bright, tense quality. Compared to E♭ major 7th, only the fifth is raised a semitone.

What goes wrong with E♭ augmented major 7th?

The pinky collapses and mutes the 1st string instead of fretting fret 5 cleanly.
The index finger leans on the 4th string, causing fret 4 to buzz.

When to use it

Use the supplied linked chords to hear its tension without adding unsupported harmony. E♭ augmented major 7th suits jazz and cinematic textures where the raised fifth adds tension. Try E♭ augmented major 7th before E♭ major or E♭ major 7th.

Changing to and from E♭ augmented major 7th

Slide the shape down two frets to the 1st fret to reach C♯ augmented major 7th.

Which voicing to use

The E♭augM7/B inversion places B in the bass for a darker, unstable sound. The E♭augM7/D inversion, with D in the bass, is brighter and more resolved.

How do you play an E♭ augmented major 7th chord on ukulele?

3rd fret

Intermediate● On the diagram

E♭ augmented major 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 4 3 3 5: ring finger on the G string at fret 4, index finger on the C string at fret 3, middle finger on the E string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 5.

Tip — The pinky must reach fret 5 on the 1st string while the index and middle fingers hold fret 3, requiring a wide stretch.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (G)	4	3	B (♯5)
3 (C)	3	1	E♭ (1)
2 (E)	3	2	G (3)
1 (A)	5	4	D (7)

E♭augM7/G inversion

Intermediate

E♭ augmented major 7th is played at the 6th fret as 7 7 7 6: middle finger on the G string at fret 7, ring finger on the C string at fret 7, pinky finger on the E string at fret 7 and index finger on the A string at fret 6.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (G)	7	2	D (7)
3 (C)	7	3	G (3)
2 (E)	7	4	B (♯5)
1 (A)	6	1	E♭ (1)

Common questions

How is E♭ augmented major 7th written?

E♭ augmented major 7th is written E♭+M7, M7#5, maj+7, or E♭augM7. The ASCII root spelling is Eb. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

What is the difference between E♭ augmented major 7th and E♭ major 7th?

E♭ augmented major 7th has a raised fifth, B, while E♭ major 7th has B♭. The raised fifth creates a more dissonant, tense sound.

Why does E♭ augmented major 7th have no tritone?

E♭ augmented major 7th contains no tritone because the interval between G and D is a perfect fifth, not a diminished fifth.

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (G)

B (♯5)

3 (C)

E♭ (1)

2 (E)

G (3)

1 (A)

D (7)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (G)

D (7)

3 (C)

G (3)

2 (E)

B (♯5)

1 (A)

E♭ (1)