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E♭ natural minor scale on ukulele
E♭ natural minor uses E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, and D♭. Box 1 places roots on string 3 fret 3 and string 1 fret 6 for a mid-neck start.
How it is built
Formula 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7
How do you play the E♭ natural minor scale on ukulele?
E♭ natural minor in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 11 notes across 4 strings, from D♭ on the C string at fret 1 up to D♭ on the A string at fret 4. The root falls on the C string at fret 3.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 1, 3, 4 | A♭, B♭, C♭ |
| 3 (C) | 1, 3 | D♭, E♭ |
| 2 (E) | 1, 2, 4 | F, G♭, A♭ |
| 1 (A) | 1, 2, 4 | B♭, C♭, D♭ |
Box 2 · frets 3–6
E♭ natural minor in box 2 runs from fret 3 to fret 6, 10 notes across 4 strings, from E♭ on the C string at fret 3 up to E♭ on the A string at fret 6. The root falls on the C string at fret 3 and the A string at fret 6.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3, 4, 6 | B♭, C♭, D♭ |
| 3 (C) | 3, 5, 6 | E♭, F, G♭ |
| 2 (E) | 4, 6 | A♭, B♭ |
| 1 (A) | 4, 6 | D♭, E♭ |
Box 3 · frets 5–8
E♭ natural minor in box 3 runs from fret 5 to fret 8, 9 notes across 4 strings, from F on the C string at fret 5 up to F on the A string at fret 8. The root falls on the G string at fret 8 and the A string at fret 6.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 6, 8 | D♭, E♭ |
| 3 (C) | 5, 6, 8 | F, G♭, A♭ |
| 2 (E) | 6, 7 | B♭, C♭ |
| 1 (A) | 6, 8 | E♭, F |
Box 4 · frets 8–11
E♭ natural minor in box 4 runs from fret 8 to fret 11, 11 notes across 4 strings, from A♭ on the C string at fret 8 up to A♭ on the A string at fret 11. The root falls on the G string at fret 8 and the E string at fret 11.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8, 10, 11 | E♭, F, G♭ |
| 3 (C) | 8, 10, 11 | A♭, B♭, C♭ |
| 2 (E) | 9, 11 | D♭, E♭ |
| 1 (A) | 8, 9, 11 | F, G♭, A♭ |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ natural minor is the Aeolian mode of G♭ major, sharing its key signature. It lowers the third, sixth, and seventh degrees of E♭ major. Compared with E♭ minor pentatonic, it adds F and C♭ for full diatonic movement.
When to use it
Use E♭ natural minor over E♭ minor and E♭ 5th progressions in jazz, metal, and classical settings. The C♭ and D♭ create a dark pull back to E♭. E♭ natural minor suits the key of E♭ minor, where the seventh degree stays a whole step below the tonic.
Which position to practise
Learn Box 1 first. It keeps the root on the third string and covers frets 1–4 for easy mid-neck phrasing.
Common questions
Which notes are in E♭ natural minor?
E♭ natural minor contains E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, and D♭. The intervals are 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7. It is the Aeolian mode of G♭ major. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Which chords fit E♭ natural minor?
E♭ natural minor fits E♭ minor and E♭ 5th chords. The tonic chord is E♭ minor. The scale also works over progressions built from the key of E♭ minor.
How does E♭ natural minor differ from E♭ minor pentatonic?
E♭ natural minor adds F and C♭ to the five notes of E♭ minor pentatonic. The pentatonic scale omits the second and sixth degrees. The natural minor provides a fuller diatonic sound.