Eb7 Eb dominant seventh chord
- Notes
- Eb G Bb Db
- Formula
- 1 3 5 b7
- Semitones
- 0 4 7 10 above the root
- Also written
- D#7 (D# F## A# C#)
- Other symbols
- Ebdom7
Eb to G is a major third (4 semitones), G to Bb is a minor third (3 semitones), Bb to Db is a minor third (3 semitones). A dominant seventh is a major triad plus a minor seventh (Db, 10 semitones above Eb). It is the V chord that leads back home, and the basic chord of the blues.
Eb7 on the piano
Root position from Eb4: Eb4, G4, Bb4, Db5. Middle C is C4.
Eb7 on the guitar
Standard tuning (E A D G B E). Strings run low E on the left to high e on the right, frets downwards; × is a muted string, ○ an open string, and each dot shows the note it sounds, with the root in blue-green. Every shape below has Eb as its lowest note.
x 6 8 6 8 6 (low E to high e)
Sounds Eb3 Bb3 Db4 G4 Bb4
11 13 11 12 11 11 (low E to high e)
Sounds Eb3 Bb3 Db4 G4 Bb4 Eb5
The barre shapes are movable: an E-shape chord's root is the note under your first finger on the low E string, an A-shape chord's root is the note on the A string. Slide the same grip up or down to play dominant seventh chords on other roots.
Inversions of Eb7
An inversion puts a note other than the root in the bass. The name is what semicord's chord finder calls those notes played bottom to top; a slash name like C/E means a C chord with E in the bass.
| Position | Notes, bass first | Named | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | Eb G Bb Db | Eb7 | |
| 1st inversion | G Bb Db Eb | Eb7/G | |
| 2nd inversion | Bb Db Eb G | Eb7/Bb | |
| 3rd inversion | Db Eb G Bb | Eb7/Db |
Where Eb7 fits
Eb7 is V7 in Ab major, V7 in Ab minor. Its G and Db are a tritone apart (6 semitones). In Ab major the G usually rises a half step to Ab and the Db falls a half step, which is why Eb7 pulls so strongly towards Ab.