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Eb Major vs Eb Natural Minor

Eb natural minor is Eb major with a flat 3rd, 6th and 7th: G, C and D become Gb, Cb and Db. Both drawn on one guitar neck.

Eb Major and Eb Natural Minor on one guitar fretboard, the shared notes and the differences marked13578910121415eBGDAEFGbGAbBbCbCDbDEbFGbGCbCDbDEbFGbGAbBbCbCDbDGAbBbCbCDbDEbFGbGAbBbDEbFGbGAbBbCbCDbDEbFBbCbCDbDEbFGbGAbBbCbCFGbGAbBbCbCDbDEbFGbG

Tap any note on the neck.

Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.

Eb natural minor is Eb major with a flat 3rd, 6th and 7th: G, C and D become Gb, Cb and Db.

Eb major vs Eb natural minor: what is different

They share four notes and differ in three:

Shared by both: Eb F Ab Bb.

When to use which

Play both over the same chord and listen to the notes that differ. Whichever sounds right for the song is the answer; the names matter less than the ear. As a rule, the scale with the raised note sounds brighter or more tense, and the one with the lowered note sounds darker or more settled.

Hear the difference

Eb Major
Eb   F   G   Ab   Bb   C   D
Eb Natural Minor
Eb   F   Gb   Ab   Bb   Cb   Db
Shared notes
Eb   F   Ab   Bb
Only in Major
G (3)   C (6)   D (7)
Only in Natural Minor
Gb (b3)   Cb (b6)   Db (b7)
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Free, no account needed. Change the key and both scales follow.

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