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Eb Maj7 Piano Chord

    Piano Diagram of Eb Maj7 in Root Position

    Eb Maj7 Chord - Root Position - Piano Diagram

    Eb Maj7 is essentially a major triad based on the key of Eb, with an additional major 7th (D). Eb Maj7 can be found on the first and fourth degrees in major keys, and on the third and sixth in minor keys. Keep reading to get a better grip on the music theory behind this chord.

     


    Structure of Eb Maj7

    Notes

    Eb, G, Bb, D

    Intervals

    R, 3, 5, 7

     

    Fingers Position

    Left Hand

    5, 3, 2, 1

    Right Hand

    1, 2, 3, 5

     

    Eb Maj7 Chord Inversions

     

    The Eb Maj7 chord has a total of 3 inversions:

    Root Position: Eb G Bb D
    1st Inversion: G Bb D Eb
    2nd Inversion: Bb D Eb G
    3rd Inversion: D Eb G Bb

     Piano Keyboard Diagrams

     


    Music Theory and Harmony of Eb Maj7

     

    What are Major 7th Chords?

    A major seventh chord is a type of chord that consists of a major triad with an additional major seventh interval. It can be found as “maj7,” “M7,” or “Δ”. Maj7 chords have a lush and dreamy sound and can be used as substitutes for tonic and subdominant chords in major keys.

     


    Building the Eb Maj7 Chord: Different Approaches

     

    Starting from the Eb Major Scale:

    To build a major 7th chord, you can use the major scale as a reference. You will need to combine a Root, a major 3rd, a 5th interval, and a major 7th.

    For instance, to build the Eb Maj7 chord, you can start with the Eb Major scale, which consists of Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, and D.

     

    Eb Major Diatonic Scale

    Eb Major Scale

     

    Eb Major Diatonic Scale up to 13th - Keyless Notation

    Eb Major Scale – Keyless Notation

     

    To form an Eb Maj7 chord, use the formula R, 3, 5, 7 as follows:

    1. Start with the Root note, Eb.
    2. Choose the major 3rd interval, G.
    3. Add the 5th interval, which is Bb.
    4. Lastly, include the major 7th interval, D.

    By using this straightforward formula, you can produce a major 7th chord from any major scale.

     


    by Combining Intervals:

    One method to create a major 7th chord is by combining specific intervals – a major 3rd, a minor 3rd, and again a major 3rd. To illustrate, let’s use the Eb Maj7 chord as an example.

    3 + m3 + 3 = Major 7th Chords

    By examining the intervals between the notes, we can see that Eb-G forms a major 3rd interval, G-Bb creates a minor 3rd interval and Bb-D is also a major 3rd. These three intervals can be stacked together to create the Eb Maj7 chord.

     


    How to Use Eb Maj7 in a Chord Progression

     

    These tables display the harmonized major and natural minor scales where you can find an Eb Maj7 chord.

    In the context of major scales, the Eb Maj7 chord functions as the tonic chord (I) in the key of Eb. Additionally, it can also be used as the subdominant chord in the Bb major scale.

    In natural minor scales, the Eb Maj7 chord assumes different roles. It acts as the mediant chord in the C natural minor scale and as the submediant chord in the G natural minor scale.

     

    on Major Scales

    Major Scales I ii iii IV V vi vii
    Eb Eb Maj7 F min7 G min7 Ab Maj7 Bb7 C min7 Dm7b5
    Bb Bb Maj7 C min7 D min7 Eb Maj7 F7 G min7 Am7b5
    • Tonic chord in Eb Major
    • Subdominant chord in Bb Major

     

    on Natural minor Scales

    Minor Scales i ii III iv v VI VII
    C C min7 Dm7b5 Eb Maj7 F min7 G min7 Ab Maj7 Bb7
    G G min7 Am7b5 Bb Maj7 C min7 D min7 Eb Maj7 F7
    • Mediant chord in C minor
    • Submediant chord in G minor

     


    Eb Maj7 Chord Function in Major and Minor Keys

    Understanding Scale Degrees

    When we build chords from a scale, each note is assigned a specific degree that reflects its position within the scale. These degrees serve as a map for navigating the harmonic landscape of the music.

    1. Starting with the first degree of the scale, we have the Tonic chord, which establishes the tonal center of the music. This chord provides a sense of stability and grounding, serving as a reference point for all other chords and notes in the scale.
    2. Moving on to the second degree, we have the Supertonic, which acts as a transitional note between the tonic and other notes in the scale. This degree adds movement and tension to the music, creating a sense of forward motion and development.
    3. The third degree is the Mediant, which is located halfway between the tonic and dominant notes. This degree helps to establish the mode of the scale (major or minor) and plays a crucial role in defining the emotional character of the music.
    4. The fourth degree is the Subdominant, which acts as a counterpart to the dominant. This degree creates a sense of tension and release, adding depth and complexity to the harmonic structure of the music.
    5. The fifth degree is the Dominant, which generates a sense of tension and anticipation. This chord is often used as a launching pad for resolving back to the tonic, creating a sense of closure and completion.
    6. Moving on to the sixth degree, we have the Submediant, which provides a sense of relaxation and stability. This degree is often used as a transition between the dominant and tonic, creating a sense of balance and resolution.
    7. Finally, we have the seventh degree, the Leading tone, which creates a sense of tension and dissonance. This degree wants to resolve to the tonic, creating a feeling of resolution and finality.

     


    Eb Maj7 as the Tonic Chord in Eb Major

    Eb Maj7 is the first chord in the harmonized Eb major scale. In a major key, the I chord (built on the first degree of the scale) serves as the tonic chord, providing the harmonic center of the chord progression. If we take the Eb major scale (Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D) and harmonize it using the notes of the scale, we get the following chords:

    I ii iii IV V vi vii
    Eb Maj7 Fmin7 G min7 Ab Maj7 Bb7 C min7 Dm7b5

     

    Eb Maj7 Chord Progressions as I degree

    Try playing these chord progressions to get an idea of how Eb Maj7 functions as the tonic (I degree) in a chord progression.

    II V I
    ii V I
    F min7 Bb7 Eb Maj7

     

    Circle Progression
    vi ii V I IV vii iii7 vi
    C min7 F min7 Bb7 Eb Maj7 Ab Maj7 Dm7b5 G7 C min7

     


    Eb Maj7 as Subdominant Chord in Bb Major

    Eb Maj7 can also be found on the fourth degree of the Bb major scale. In the I-IV-V progression, the chord on the fourth degree serves as a transitional chord between the first and fifth degrees.

    I ii iii IV V vi vii
    Bb Maj7 Cm7b5 D min7 Eb Maj7 F7 G min7 Am7b5

     

    Eb Maj7 as IV degree – Chord Progressions

    Try playing these chord progressions to get an idea of how Eb Maj7 functions as the subdominant (IV degree) in a chord progression.

     

    I IV V
    I IV V
    Bb Maj7 Eb Maj7 F7

     

    Circle Progression
    vi ii V I IV vii iii7 vi
    G min7 C min7 F7 Bb Maj7 Eb Maj7 Am7b5 D7 G min7

     


    Eb Maj7 as the Mediant Chord in C Minor

    Likewise, if we consider the C natural minor scale (C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb), we can locate Eb Maj7 on the third degree.

    i ii III iv v VI VII
    C min7 Dm7b5 Eb Maj7 F min7 G min7 Ab Maj7 Bb7

     

    Eb Maj7 as III degree – Chord Progressions

    These chord progressions can help you comprehend how Eb Maj7 serves as the mediant (III degree).

     

    i III
    i III
    C min7 Eb Maj7

     

    i III VII VI
    i III VII VI
    C min7 Eb Maj7 Bb7 Ab Maj7

     


    Eb Maj7 as the Submediant Chord in G Minor

    Another instance where you can come across an Eb Maj7 chord is while playing in the key of G minor. In fact, Eb Maj7 can be found on the sixth degree of the G minor scale.

    i ii III iv v VI VII
    G min7 Am7b5 Bb Maj7 C min7 D min7 Eb Maj7 F7

     

    Eb Maj7 as VI degree – Chord Progressions

    Try playing these chord progressions to get a sense of how Eb Maj7 sounds as the submediant (VI degree).

     

    i VI VII
    i VI VII
    G min7 Eb Maj7 F7

     

    i v VI VII
    i v VI VII
    G min7 D min7 Eb Maj7 F7

     

    i III VII VI
    i III VII VI
    G min7 Bb Maj7 F7 Eb Maj7

     


    Alternative Names for Eb Maj7 Chord

    • Ebj7
    • Eb∆
    • EbΔ7
    • Mib∆
    • Mib7+
    • EbM7
    • EbMa7
    • Eb Maj7
    • Eb Major 7
    • Mib Magg7

     


    Conclusion

    The chord progressions and examples presented in this post provide a comprehensive overview of the most common uses of the Eb Maj7 chord. It’s important to note, however, that many advanced harmony-related topics could not be included due to space constraints. These topics include chord progressions built on harmonic and melodic scales, modal scales, hidden tonality, secondary dominants and other chord substitutions, non-functional harmony and atonal music, modal interchange and borrowed chords, voice leading and counterpoint, chromatisms, jazz harmony…I mean, music theory is a huge topic!

    Although I couldn’t cover all of these topics in my post, I encourage readers to continue exploring these areas in their own study and research. By expanding your knowledge in these advanced areas of music theory, you can gain a deeper understanding of the harmonic possibilities that exist beyond the basics presented here.

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