Minor 7th chord · Eb root
Ebm7 chord
- Eb1
- Gb♭3
- Bb5
- Db♭7
The Eb minor 7th chord (also called the D#m7 chord — same notes, different spelling) is built from the notes Eb, Gb, Bb, Db. A minor 7th shape you will meet in barre-chord territory.
By Chiye · Updated
What is the Ebm7 chord?
The Ebm7 chord (Eb minor 7th) is a minor 7th chord built from four notes: Eb, Gb, Bb, Db — the 1–♭3–5–♭7 of the Eb scale, 3 semitones and 7 semitones and 10 semitones above the root. On guitar it is most often played as a movable shape from fret 6 (x-6-8-6-7-6); shift all fretted notes together to transpose it along the neck. It is rated intermediate. The smooth workhorse of funk, R&B and lo-fi. Below you will find step-by-step fingering, 3 positions up the neck, audio of every shape, and the real progressions this chord lives inside.
How do you play the Ebm7 chord on guitar?
Fret 6 barre — a movable shape, so this same fingering works for every root note.
- Lay your index finger flat across the A to high E strings at fret 6, rolled slightly onto its bony edge.
- Press the D string at fret 8 with your ring finger.
- Press the B string at fret 7 with your middle finger.
- Start your strum on the A string and do not play the low E string at all.
Leave out the lowest fretted note (A string) and practise the remaining strings. The bass changes, and the upper strings may still need a smaller barre; check that the third and other colour tones stay clear. x-x-8-6-7-6
How do you make Ebm7 sound clean?
Ebm7 at the 6th fret is the easiest barre to hold and the easiest to play carelessly. The strings are close together, so the middle finger on the second string quietly touches its neighbour and muffles the Gb.
Alternate Ebm7 (6th fret) and Bbm7 (1st) for a bar each. Same A-shape minor seventh, and the only thing that should change is where the index lands.
In real songs
Ebm7 in songs
None of the 90 songs charted on this site use Ebm7 yet — it is a colour chord rather than a songwriting staple.
What other ways can you play Ebm7 up the neck?
2 more positions below. A chord is a set of notes, not a shape — every position below sounds like Ebm7, and each one puts your hand somewhere different, which is what makes them useful in different songs.
Position 2 · Fret 1 barre
No open strings, so this is a movable shape: slide it up or down and the same fingering gives you a different chord name.
One bar does most of the work. Roll that finger onto its bony edge and pull the elbow slightly in — a barre that buzzes is almost always a position problem, not a strength problem.
Position 3 · Fret 11 barre
Every note here is fretted, which means the shape transposes anywhere on the neck without changing your fingers.
The barre is the only hard part of this shape. Keep the bar finger straight and use the weight of your arm rather than the grip of your thumb.
The theory behind Ebm7
Ebm7 is spelled Eb – Gb – Bb – Db — the 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7 of the Eb scale, which is the root plus 3 semitones, 7 semitones, 10 semitones. The smooth workhorse of funk, R&B and lo-fi.
The flat seventh softens the minor third, which is why m7 chords sit comfortably under a vocal. In practice you will use Ebm7 far more often than the plain minor triad in anything funky or jazzy.
Ebm7 on other instruments
Eb – Gb – Bb – Db — the highlighted black keys are the sharps or flats; play each note once, then move them into one hand position.
Take it to the practice room
