Learn all about the E-flat major scale on piano, including its notes, diatonic chords, fingerings, relative minor key, and fun songs in the key of E-flat major.
Want to learn all of the major scales on piano? Download our free Guide to All Major Scales.
The notes of the E-flat major scale
The scale of E-flat major starts on E-flat and has three flats in its key signature. The notes are E♭ (E-flat), F, G, A♭ (A-flat), B♭ (B-flat), C, D, and E♭ (E-flat).
The relative minor of E-flat major
The relative minor of the E-flat major scale is C minor. Both the E-flat major and C minor scales share the same key signature, which consists of three flats: B♭, E♭, and A♭.
To find the relative minor of any major scale, you can always go down a minor third from the tonic, or first note, of the major scale, or you can find the sixth note of the major scale, which will be the tonic of the relative minor scale. In this case, the sixth note of the E-flat major scale is C, which is the tonic of the relative minor scale: C minor.
The key signature of E-flat major
E-flat major has three flats written in this order on the staff: B flat, E flat, A flat. Here’s a handy tip to help you know what key you’re in when looking at a flat key signature. Take a look at the next-to-last flat. That flat will be the same note as the name of the key signature, which is also the tonic, or first tone, of the scale.
How do you play the E-flat major scale on piano?
Watch the video to see the E-flat major piano scale played by Mr. Hoffman!
To play the E-flat major one octave scale, start with your fingers in the following positions. Notice that this scale starts on a black note, so the fingering will be different from scales that start on white notes. To avoid playing black notes with the thumb, both hands will start and end on finger 3.
Right hand placement for the E-flat major piano scale:
3 on E♭
Pass the thumb under:
1 on F
2 on G
3 on A♭
4 on B♭
Pass the thumb under
1 on C
2 on D
3 on E♭
Left hand placement for the E-flat major piano scale:
3 on E♭
2 on F
1 on G
Cross the 4th finger over:
4 on A♭
3 on B♭
2 on C
1 on D
Cross the 3rd finger over:
3 on E♭
When coming down the scale, simply reverse the finger order like this:
Right hand:
3 on E♭
2 on D
1 on C
Cross the 4th finger over:
4 on B♭
3 on A♭
2 on G
1 on F
Cross the 3rd finger over:
3 on E♭
Left hand:
3 on E♭
Pass the thumb under:
1 on D
2 on C
3 on B♭
4 on A♭
Pass the thumb under:
1 on G
2 on F
3 on E♭
Chords in the key of E flat Major
Here are the chords derived from each scale degree in the E-flat major scale, along with their Roman numeral representations:
- E♭ Major (I) – E♭, G, B♭
- F minor (ii) – F, A♭, C
- G minor (iii) – G, B♭, D
- A♭ Major (IV) – A♭, C, E♭
- B♭ Major (V) – B♭, D, F
- C minor (vi) – C, E♭, G
- D diminished (vii°) – D, F, A♭
These are the diatonic chords in the key of E flat major, meaning they’re the triads you can make using only the notes of the E-flat major scale. They provide a wide array of harmonic possibilities for composing and improvising in this key. You can further extend these chords into more complex forms such as seventh chords, ninth chords, etc., by adding more thirds on top of these triads.
If you’d like some handy reference guides for chords and triads, download these free resources from the Hoffman Academy Store:
Is E-flat major the same as D-sharp major?
It is! E-flat major and D-sharp major are enharmonic, which means they use the same pitches, just spelled differently. However, D-sharp major is almost never used because it would require a very complex key signature with double sharps, which makes it very cumbersome for reading and writing music. The notes in the D-sharp major scale would be:
- D♯
- E♯ (enharmonic equivalent of F)
- F
(enharmonic equivalent of G) - G♯
- A♯
- B♯ (enharmonic equivalent of C)
- C (enharmonic equivalent of D)
The E-flat major scale, on the other hand, has a simple key signature with only three flats:
- E♭
- F
- G
- A♭
- B♭
- C
- D
As you can see, spelling this as an E-flat major scale makes it much easier to read, which is why it is almost always preferred to D sharp major.
Songs in the key of E-flat major
E-flat major is a favorite key for both classical and pop music. It’s an easy key for brass instruments, not too difficult for piano, and provides a comfortable range for singers, too. Classical music in E-flat is often bold, heroic, and majestic, taking advantage of the powerful sounds of the brass section. Listen to some of these famous songs in E-flat major:
- Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley
- More than Words by Extreme
- Story of My Life by One Direction
- Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture
Want to learn all of the major scales on piano? Download our free Guide to All Major Scales now!