Guitar chords are at the core of all melodies; they form its framework. Chord progressions can drastically change the rhythm and feel of songs; therefore it is essential that guitarists understand some basic shapes and structures of chords.
The Eb chord is similar to the D chord but with one half tone lower key; therefore it has the same shape, yet requires slightly more work due to being in lower key.
Eb Major
Combining variations to an Eb major chord can open up an abundance of staccato and legato playing possibilities. One simple approach is the Eb major barre chord: with your index finger barrering the 1st string (using your middle and ring fingers respectively) while maintaining your 4th finger on string 4’s 13th fret for string 4. Mute any lower two strings that might ring out unintentionally to prevent accidental sounding outs.
Alternately, an Eb major maj7 chord provides another solution; taking a Gm shape and adding an Eb root note provides an easier alternative and provides enough notes for staccato and legato playing styles.
Try the D# no 3rd chord, which subtracts one third from a D# major chord for an eye-catching effect. However, this chord will require additional finger strength training; so be sure to include some hand exercises and pinky drills into your practice regimen to achieve optimal results.
Eb Minor
E flat (Eb) is one half step lower than its counterpart E. A sharp (F), on the other hand, raises it one half step higher, while flattening (b) decreases it by equal amounts.
Eb minor chords are created through stacking thirds, just as other major and minor chords are. First locate the root note – in this instance A – before adding its counterpart that forms a minor third above it: C in this instance.
This chord is easy to form and looks similar to an A minor chord when complete. If desired, however, more complicated arrangements such as major seven, dominant seven and diminished seventh chords can also be created by adding notes from major scale as an arpeggiated 7th note – these chords will be covered later on so focus instead on mastering Eb minor chord formation and becoming comfortable with its fingerings for now.
Eb Blues
Blues guitarists must know the Eb chord shape if they want to succeed at blues guitar. It is a rootless voicing which removes its root note, leaving only three intervals from E flat major scale: third, fifth and seventh intervals.
This shape is easy to learn as it only involves three strings on your guitar. Furthermore, it can serve as an ideal introduction to blues progression without the hassle of using barre chords right away.
Blues chords can often be played anywhere on the fretboard with consistent fingerings and shapes due to blues pentatonic scales not following conventional music theory rules for diatonic scales where each note may only ever appear once; this makes learning blues chords early a great advantage.
Eb Jazz
In jazz circles, Eb chords refer to minor-major seventh chords (composed of three minor triads joined together with major seventh). These chords typically feature an added ninth for an added layer of emphasis and a jazzier sound.
As with the major 7th chord, the minor 7th can be formed using the formula: 1 3 5 7. When starting from a root note of C as its starting point, this yields notes C F G Bb.
McCoy Tyner was one of the most revered pianists to emerge during the ’60s, appearing on many classic albums both as leader and sideman. Ex. 4 features several basic two five one guitar voicings which were inspired by Evans’ style.
As they require quite a bit of fretboard stretch, these chords may prove challenging if you’re just starting out; but by dedicating yourself to mastering them as soon as possible, they will quickly become staples in your Jazz repertoire.