Tools / Chords / E♭ minor 7th

E♭ minor 7th chord on ukulele (E♭m7)

Also written E♭m7 or E♭min7

E♭ minor 7th is built from E♭, G♭, B♭, and D♭. The default voicing stretches across four frets, demanding careful finger placement.

2nd fret3-3-2-4

Positions on the neck1 of 3

How it’s built

E♭1Root

G♭♭3Minor 3rd

B♭5Perfect 5th

D♭♭7Minor 7th

Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7

Positions on the neck1 of 3

Inversions

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

Root positionE♭–G♭–B♭–D♭E♭m7Bass E♭

First inversionG♭–B♭–D♭–E♭E♭m7/G♭Bass G♭

Second inversionB♭–D♭–E♭–G♭E♭m7/B♭Bass B♭

Third inversionD♭–E♭–G♭–B♭E♭m7/D♭Bass D♭

Why it sounds like that

E♭ minor 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7. The minor 7th interval between E♭ and D♭ gives the chord its characteristic softness. Compare it to E♭ minor, which omits the D♭ and sounds more direct.

What goes wrong with E♭ minor 7th?

The pinky flattens and mutes the A string.
The index finger touches the C string, deadening it.
The ring finger slides off the C string, causing a buzz.

When to use it

E♭ minor 7th fits soul, funk, and modern pop where a smooth minor color is needed. In F♯ major, it appears in the I–V–vi–IV progression as the vi chord, following C♯ major and leading to B major. Compare it to E♭ minor for a less complex sound.

Changing to and from E♭ minor 7th

Slide the shape down one fret to the 1st fret to play D minor 7th.
Slide the shape up one fret to the 3rd fret to play E minor 7th.

Which voicing to use

The default voicing at the 2nd fret has E♭ in the bass, giving a root-position sound. The E♭m7/G♭ inversion at the 6th fret uses a barre and puts G♭ in the bass, while the E♭m7/B♭ inversion at the 8th fret emphasizes the fifth.

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

2nd fret

Intermediate● On the diagram

E♭ minor 7th is played at the 2nd fret as 3 3 2 4: middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the C string at fret 3, index finger on the E string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 4.

Tip — The pinky must reach the 4th fret on the A string while the other fingers hold the 2nd and 3rd frets, creating a wide stretch.

String-by-string breakdown

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

E♭m7/G♭ inversion

Barre

E♭ minor 7th is played at the 6th fret as 6 6 6 6: barre your index finger across fret 6.

String-by-string breakdown

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

E♭m7/B♭ inversion

Intermediate

E♭ minor 7th is played at the 8th fret as 8 10 9 9: index finger on the G string at fret 8, pinky finger on the C string at fret 10, middle finger on the E string at fret 9 and ring finger on the A string at fret 9.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (G)	8	1	E♭ (1)
3 (C)	10	4	B♭ (5)
2 (E)	9	2	D♭ (♭7)
1 (A)	9	3	G♭ (♭3)

Common questions

How is E♭ minor 7th written?

E♭ minor 7th is written as E♭min7 or E♭m7. On a keyboard, use Eb for the root. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

What is the difference between E♭ minor 7th and E♭ minor?

E♭ minor 7th adds a D♭ to the E♭ minor triad. The added note creates a more relaxed, jazzy tension that the triad lacks.

Why does the 6th fret voicing sound different from the 2nd fret voicing?

The 6th fret voicing is a first inversion with G♭ in the bass, making it less stable and darker. The 2nd fret voicing has E♭ in the bass, which anchors the chord more firmly.

Is there an easier way to play E♭ minor 7th?

The 6th fret barre voicing is easier for some players because it uses one finger across all strings. However, it requires a clean barre at the 6th fret.

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)

1 (barre)

D♭ (♭7)

3 (C)

1 (barre)

G♭ (♭3)

2 (E)

1 (barre)

B♭ (5)

1 (A)

1 (barre)

E♭ (1)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (G)

E♭ (1)

3 (C)

B♭ (5)

2 (E)

D♭ (♭7)

1 (A)

G♭ (♭3)