The E♭ natural minor scale has six flats — B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, and C♭ — and shares its notes with G♭ major. It's a heavy, atmospheric minor key that appears in romantic piano literature and in jazz ballads transposed to fit vocal range.
Interval pattern
The Eb natural minor scale is built from this fixed pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H):
- Wwhole
- Hhalf
- Wwhole
- Wwhole
- Hhalf
- Wwhole
- Wwhole
Every natural minor scale uses this same pattern. The half-steps fall between scale degrees 2–3 and 5–6.
Scale degrees and intervals
Each note of the scale, with its scale-degree name and interval from the root:
| Degree | Note | Interval from root | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eb | Root | Tonic |
| 2 | F | M2 | Supertonic |
| 3 | Gb | m3 | Mediant |
| 4 | Ab | P4 | Subdominant |
| 5 | Bb | P5 | Dominant |
| 6 | Cb | m6 | Submediant |
| 7 | Db | m7 | Subtonic / Leading tone |
In melody and improvisation
Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky both wrote significant works in E♭ minor when they wanted maximum dramatic weight. The scale can feel "thicker" than its enharmonic equivalent (D# minor) on the page.
Relative key
The Eb natural minor scale shares its notes with Gb major. Same seven pitches, different tonal centre — when a piece moves between them, no accidentals change.
Common mistakes
The C♭ on the 6th degree is the trap — beginners write B natural instead and end up with two B-named notes in the scale (B♭ and B). Spelling matters here.
Drill it
The Interval Trainer gives you a root note and an interval, and asks you to name the result. Practising the intervals of the Eb natural minor scale is the fastest way to internalise it as a melodic shape rather than a memorised string of notes.
Open the Interval Trainer →Or drill key signaturesRelated
Frequently asked
- What are the notes in the E♭ natural minor scale?
- E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭.
- How many flats does E♭ minor have?
- Six: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, and C♭ — same as its relative major, G♭ major.
- What is the relative major of E♭ minor?
- G♭ major.