chordslol

Chord · Eb Major

E Chord

E is Eb, G and Bbbright, stable. The reference triad.

Hear it

E on every instrument

The same 3 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

×6fr13331EADGBE
Guitar1 voicing
CDEFGAB
Piano3 voicings
6fr3211GCEA
Ukulele2 voicings
×3fr321EADG
Bass1 voicing
8fr1134GDAE
Mandolin1 voicing
8fr1111GDGBD
Banjo1 voicing

What E is made of

Eb Major (Eb major) is built from the notes Eb, G, Bb, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5. A common major chord across many styles.

Stack 1, 3 and 5 on a root of E and you get Eb, G and Bb. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C sounds like a transposed E.

Major: Bright, stable. The reference triad.

Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with E rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain E

All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 6 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Other chords on E

Same root, different colour.

The same major shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

Questions people ask about Eb

What notes are in the Eb chord?
Eb is made of Eb, G and Bb — the 1, 3 and 5 degrees of a major chord built on Eb.
What keys use the Eb chord?
Every note of Eb belongs to 6 keys: Bb Major (IV), Eb Major (I), Ab Major (V), G Minor (VI), C Minor (III), F Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Eb on guitar and piano?
This page shows Eb on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 9 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Eb the same as D#?
Yes. Eb and D# are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Eb is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why E behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Chord Progressions ExplainedMajor triads are the building blocks. This is how they get strung into songs.7 min readMajor and Minor Scales — Built from Intervals, Felt in SongsWhere the three notes come from, and why the stack sounds bright.5 min readKey Signatures: Read Any Key in Two SecondsEvery key this chord sits in, and the signature that gives it away.6 min read