Eb minor chords, relative major and Camelot code (2A)
E♭ minor has 6 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭). Its chords are E♭m, F°, G♭, A♭m, B♭m, C♭ and D♭. The relative major is F♯ major (G♭ major) and the Camelot code is 2A, so it mixes cleanly with 1A, 3A and 2B.
Notes in the E♭ minor scale
E♭ minor has 6 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭). It sounds identical to D♯ minor, which is the same set of pitches spelled differently; E♭ minor is the usual spelling.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E♭ | F | G♭ | A♭ | B♭ | C♭ | D♭ |
Chords in E♭ minor
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get the seven chords that belong to the key:
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | E♭m | E♭ · G♭ · B♭ |
| ii° | F° | F · A♭ · C♭ |
| III | G♭ | G♭ · B♭ · D♭ |
| iv | A♭m | A♭ · C♭ · E♭ |
| v | B♭m | B♭ · D♭ · F |
| VI | C♭ | C♭ · E♭ · G♭ |
| VII | D♭ | D♭ · F · A♭ |
In practice most songs in E♭ minor swap the minor v for B♭. Raising the seventh note (D♭ to D) gives a leading note that pulls back to E♭, so B♭ to E♭m sounds like arriving home.
Common progressions in E♭ minor
- E♭m – C♭ – G♭ – D♭ (i–VI–III–VII): the minor-key pop and trap loop.
- E♭m – A♭m – B♭m (i–iv–v): the plain minor blues shape.
- E♭m – D♭ – C♭ – B♭ (i–VII–VI–V): the descending Andalusian cadence, with a major V.
- E♭m – A♭m – D♭ – G♭ (i–iv–VII–III): a common lo-fi and R&B cycle.
Keys that mix with E♭ minor
E♭ minor is 2A on the Camelot wheel. For a clean blend, go to a key next to it:
| Camelot | Key | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | G♯ minor | One step round the wheel: shares six of its seven notes |
| 3A | B♭ minor | One step the other way: also shares six of seven notes |
| 2B | F♯ major | The relative major: exactly the same notes |
How the wheel works is in the Camelot wheel explained, and how to use it in a set is in harmonic mixing for DJs.
Relative and parallel keys
The relative major, F♯ major, uses exactly the same notes with a different home chord. The parallel major, E♭ major, keeps E♭ as home but changes three notes. More on the difference in relative major and minor keys.
Questions people ask
What chords are in E♭ minor?
E♭m (i), F° (ii°), G♭ (III), A♭m (iv), B♭m (v), C♭ (VI) and D♭ (VII).
What is the relative major of E♭ minor?
F♯ major (G♭ major). It uses the same 7 notes, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, but centres on F♯ instead of E♭.
What is the Camelot code for E♭ minor?
2A. In Open Key notation it is 7m.
What keys mix well with E♭ minor?
G♯ minor (1A), B♭ minor (3A) and F♯ major (2B). They sit next to 2A on the Camelot wheel.
How many sharps or flats does E♭ minor have?
6 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭).