E♭maj7
Character: dreamy
- E♭Rtriad
- G3triad
- B♭5triad
- D7add
16 ways to play E♭maj7
Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.
- Triad note
- Substitute
- Added
- Anchored root
- Bass
- Doubling
Frets x 5 5 3 4 xNotes D G B♭ E♭Intervals 7 3 5 1Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 6 5 3 3 3Notes E♭ G B♭ DIntervals 1 3 5 7Base triadE♭ major, root position
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 6 5 7 4 6Notes G D E♭Intervals 3 7 1Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets x 6 5 7 x xNotes E♭ G DIntervals 1 3 7Base triadE♭ major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 6 6 5 7 x xNotes B♭ E♭ G DIntervals 5 1 3 7Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 6 8 8 8 10Notes B♭ E♭ G DIntervals 5 1 3 7Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x x 8 8 10Notes E♭ G DIntervals 1 3 7Base triadE♭ major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets x 6 8 7 8 6Notes E♭ B♭ D GIntervals 1 5 7 3Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.
Frets 11 10 12 8 8 11Notes G D E♭Intervals 3 7 1Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 10 10 8 8 x xNotes D G B♭ E♭Intervals 7 3 5 1Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 11 10 12 0 11 11Notes E♭ G DIntervals 1 3 7Base triadE♭ major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets x 1 1 0 3 xNotes B♭ E♭ G DIntervals 5 1 3 7Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 3 1 1 0 3 3Notes G B♭ E♭ DIntervals 3 5 1 7Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x 12 12 11 11Notes D G B♭ E♭Intervals 7 3 5 1Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x 0 3 4 3Notes D B♭ E♭ GIntervals 7 5 1 3Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x 1 3 3 3Notes E♭ B♭ D GIntervals 1 5 7 3Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.
The construction rules E♭maj7 follows
Start from a triad
Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.
A third on top makes a 7th chord
A major 7th over a major triad is maj7, a ♭7 is a dominant 7. Over minor you get m7 or m(maj7); over diminished, m7♭5 or the °7, whose 7th is lowered twice.
On guitar, something has to give
Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.
The root can move down
When an extension needs the root’s string, the root can drop to the string below the triad: an anchored voicing keeps the bass and frees a string on top.
All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.
Major 7th in every key
More chords on E♭
E♭maj7 chord questions
What notes are in E♭maj7?
E♭maj7 is spelled E♭ G B♭ D: E♭ is the root, G is the 3rd, B♭ is the 5th, D is the 7th.
What is the formula of E♭maj7?
1 3 5 7. It is a E♭ major triad with the 7th stacked on top.
How many ways can you play E♭maj7 on guitar?
This page shows 16 voicings of E♭maj7, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.