E♭m Chord on Guitar
Notes E♭ G♭ B♭. Start with the 4-string E♭m (x x 1 3 4 2): index on string 4 fret 1, middle on string 1 fret 2, ring on string 3 fret 3, pinky on string 2 fret 4.
Chord · E♭m minor
Dm-shape, 4 strings (fret 1) · x x 1 3 4 2
movable, no open strings
Am-shape barre (fret 6) · x 6 8 8 7 6
barre, movable
Em-shape barre (fret 11) · 11 13 13 11 11 11
barre, movable
1 E♭♭3 G♭5 B♭
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): muted, do not play
- String 4 (D): index (1), fret 1
- String 3 (G): ring (3), fret 3
- String 2 (B): pinky (4), fret 4
- String 1 (high e): middle (2), fret 2
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 5 to 1 at fret 6
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): index (1), fret 6
- String 4 (D): ring (3), fret 8
- String 3 (G): pinky (4), fret 8
- String 2 (B): middle (2), fret 7
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 6
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 6 to 1 at fret 11
- String 6 (low E): index (1), fret 11
- String 5 (A): ring (3), fret 13
- String 4 (D): pinky (4), fret 13
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 11
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 11
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 11
Notes and formula
| Degree | Note | Interval from E♭ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E♭ | root |
| ♭3 | G♭ | minor 3rd |
| 5 | B♭ | perfect 5th |
Formula 1 ♭3 5 (minor). Same chord as D♯m: same pitches, same shapes.
Also written Ebm, Ebmin, E flat minor, D♯m, D sharp minor.
More on this chord type: Barre chords
Capo shapes that sound as E♭m
Open shapes you may already know, moved up with a capo.
Dm shape + capo 1
Am shape + capo 6
Need the capo fret for a whole song? Capo calculator: any song key, any shapes. New to the capo? How to use a capo.
Progressions with E♭m
| Key · progression | Chords | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| E♭ minor i–VI–III–VII | E♭m – C♭ – G♭ – D♭ | |
| E♭ minor i–iv–v–i | E♭m – A♭m – B♭m – E♭m | |
| D♭ major ii–V–I | E♭m – A♭ – D♭ | |
| D♭ major I–vi–ii–V | D♭ – B♭m – E♭m – A♭ | |
| B♭ minor i–iv–VII–III | B♭m – E♭m – A♭ – D♭ |
Keys that contain E♭m
| Key | E♭m is the |
|---|---|
| E♭ minor | i |
| B♭ minor | iv |
| D♭ major | ii |
| G♯ minor (written D♯m) | v |
| F♯ major (written D♯m) | vi |
| B major (written D♯m) | iii |
Minor keys here use the natural minor scale.
Playing E♭m: what goes wrong
E♭m in D♭, G♭ and B
E♭m is the ii chord of D♭ major, the vi of G♭ major and, spelled D♯m, the iii of B major. In E♭ minor it is the i chord, with A♭m as iv and B♭m as v.
Open Dm, one fret up
The first shape is open Dm (x x 0 2 3 1) moved up one fret to x x 1 3 4 2. It has no open strings, so it slides anywhere on the neck: two frets up is Em, three is Fm.
Capo 1 and a Dm shape
With a capo on fret 1 the open Dm shape sounds as E♭m. The barres are higher up the neck: the Am shape at fret 6 is the comfortable one, the Em shape at fret 11 is a long reach.
Related chords
Learn and practise E♭m
- Metronomepractise the change to E♭m at 60 BPM
- How to read chord chartsstrings, frets, fingers, x and o
- Chord finder (chord namer)name any other shape you find
FAQ
What notes are in E♭m?
E♭, G♭, B♭: the 1, ♭3, 5 of the E♭m minor chord. D♯m is the same chord spelt with a sharp.
What is the easiest E♭m chord?
x x 1 3 4 2: four strings near the nut, no barre. Strings 6 and 5 are not played.
Is E♭m the same as D♯m?
Yes, on the guitar. D♯m is the same chord spelled for sharp keys such as B major, so the same fingering and the same sound.