Explore chords · Ukulele
E♭ chord on ukulele (E♭ major)
Also called or written E♭, E♭maj, E♭M or E♭ chord
E♭ major contains E♭, G and B♭. The 1st fret shape is an intermediate grip that mutes the G string and uses three fretted notes.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5
- Root positionE♭–G–B♭E♭×-3-3-1
- First inversionG–B♭–E♭E♭/G8-7-6-6
- Second inversionB♭–E♭–GE♭/B♭12-10-11-10
How do you play an E♭ major chord on ukulele?
E♭ major is played at the 1st fret as × 3 3 1: middle finger on the C string at fret 3, ring finger on the E string at fret 3 and index finger on the A string at fret 1. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 3 | G (3) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
IntermediateThe 1st fret shape requires muting the G string while fretting three other strings, which can be tricky for intermediate players.
E♭/G inversion
E♭ major is played at the 6th fret as 8 7 6 6: pinky finger on the G string at fret 8, ring finger on the C string at fret 7, index finger on the E string at fret 6 and middle finger on the A string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 4 | E♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 7 | 3 | G (3) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
Open
E♭ major is played in open position as 0 3 3 1: middle finger on the C string at fret 3, ring finger on the E string at fret 3 and index finger on the A string at fret 1. The G string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | open | — | G (3) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 3 | G (3) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
E♭/B♭ inversion
E♭ major is played at the 10th fret as 12 10 11 10: pinky finger on the G string at fret 12, index finger on the C string at fret 10, ring finger on the E string at fret 11 and middle finger on the A string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 12 | 4 | G (3) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 10 | 2 | G (3) |
1st fret · 3-3-3-1
E♭ major is played at the 1st fret as 3 3 3 1: middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the C string at fret 3, pinky finger on the E string at fret 3 and index finger on the A string at fret 1.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (5) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 4 | G (3) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (5) |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ major is built from the root, major third and perfect fifth — 1, 3, 5. The major third G gives the chord its bright quality. Lower that third by one semitone to G♭ and you get E♭ minor.
What goes wrong with E♭ major?
- Letting the G string ring out and add a non-chord tone.
- Not pressing the C and E strings firmly enough, causing a buzz.
- Accidentally muting the A string with the index finger.
When to use it
E♭ major is the tonic in E♭ major, heard in progressions like E♭–A♭–B♭, the I–IV–V–I. It also fits the I–V–vi–IV in E♭ major: E♭–B♭–C minor–A♭. Use it for jazz, blues and songs in flat keys. Compare E♭ 5th for a leaner two-note sound.
Changing to and from E♭ major
- Move to F major by shifting the whole shape up two frets, keeping the same finger pattern.
- Slide the 1st fret shape up one fret to the 2nd fret to reach E major.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret shape is the default, but the 6th fret shape is easier for some players because it uses all four strings. The E♭/G inversion puts the third in the bass for a smoother voice leading into A♭ major.
Other E♭ chords
Common questions
How is E♭ major written?
E♭ major is written as E♭, E♭maj or E♭M. The ASCII root is Eb. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between E♭ major and E♭ minor?
E♭ major has a major third, G, while E♭ minor has a minor third, G♭. This changes the chord from bright to sombre.
Why is the G string muted in the 1st fret E♭ major shape?
The open G string is a chord tone, but it is muted to preserve the intended bass note and voicing, not because it clashes.