Eb Ionian

What is Eb Ionian?

Eb Ionian is the seven notes Eb F G Ab Bb C D — the notes of Eb major started from its 1st degree, Eb. Same seven notes as the parent, but with Eb as home, so the intervals and the sound are different.

Eb Ionian vs Eb major

They are the same seven notes in the same order. “Ionian” is the mode name for the major scale — it says which chord you treat as home, not that any note changed.

Chords in Eb Ionian

Stack the mode in thirds and each degree becomes a chord. The home chord is Eb; the rest are the chords of Eb major, since the notes are the same — what changes is which one the music rests on. Vamp between Eb and Ab and the mode is unmistakable.

All the chords in Eb major, with shapes and numerals →

Eb Ionian on the guitar neck

Because Eb Ionian is Eb major from its 1st note, its natural fingering is position 1 of the seven three-notes-per-string shapes of Eb major — the shape whose lowest note is Eb. Learn that shape with Eb as home — start and end on it, over a drone on Eb or the vamp above — and you have the mode under your fingers. The other six positions are the fingerings for the other six modes of the same key.

• The seven positions of Eb major — the Ionian shape is position 1 →
• See every Eb Ionian note across the whole neck →

How to practice Eb Ionian on guitar

1. Loop position 1 of Eb major at 60 BPM, starting and ending on Eb so your ear hears Eb as home rather than Eb.
2. Hold a Eb chord (or record one) and play the shape over it. Listen for the chord tones landing on the beat.
3. Hear it harmonized in 3rds on the Fretboard: press Play and every note sounds with its partner while the neck lights up.