Eb Minor Guitar Chord (Ebm)
The Eb Minor chord (Ebm) is built from the notes Eb, Gb, and Bb: the R, b3, 5 of Eb. Below are the five ways to play Ebm on guitar, laid out in order from the lowest position on the neck to the highest.
A minor chord is darker and more reflective than major, the other half of most music. The lowest shape starts around fret 1, and Ebm appears in four more positions higher up the neck.
Notes in Ebm
How to play Ebm: five positions
Strings run low E to high e, left to right. Dots are finger positions, a ringed dot is the root (Eb), an × means don't play that string, and the label on the right (like "11fr") is the starting fret. Under each shape are the notes it sounds and their role in the chord.
Hear it and explore other chords →
The free interactive Chord Library lets you switch roots and flavors instantly and see every voicing update live.
Other Eb chords
The minor chord in other keys
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the Eb Minor chord?
- The Eb Minor chord (Ebm) contains the notes Eb, Gb, and Bb. Those are the R, b3, 5 of Eb, so the chord is Eb (the root), Gb (the flat third), and Bb (the fifth).
- How do you play Ebm on guitar?
- There are five ways to play Ebm, one for each CAGED shape. The lowest shape starts around fret 1, and Ebm appears in four more positions higher up the neck. A nearby voicing often makes an awkward chord change much easier, so if one shape fights you, try the next one up or down the neck.
- What does a Ebm chord sound like?
- A minor chord is darker and more reflective than major, the other half of most music. You can hear Ebm and any progression built from it in the free interactive tools on this site.
- Is Ebm a hard chord to play?
- Ebm has no open shape in standard tuning, so it is usually played as a barre chord. That takes a little hand strength, but the shape is movable: learn it once and you can slide it to other roots.