A quick guide to chords in the key of D#/Eb major.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major | Minor | Minor | Major | Major | Minor | Dim |
| I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | viiº |
| D# | E#m | F##m | G## | A# | B#m | C##º |
| Eb | Fm | Gm | A | Bb | Cm | Dº |
The notes of a D# major scale are:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
| D# | E# | F## | G## | A# | B# | C## |
Written as Eb, they would be:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
| Eb | F | G | A | Bb | C | D |
These two scales sound exactly the same, and so are ‘enharmonically equivalent’. The only difference is how they are written. The Eb version is more commonly used, as 2 flats is easier on the brain than 4 sharps and 3 double sharps. So we will use this version going forward.
Major Scale Formula
The scale notes above follow the 'major' scale formula of 'steps':
WHOLE – WHOLE – HALF – WHOLE – WHOLE – WHOLE – HALF
Or 'tones':
TONE – TONE – SEMITONE – TONE – TONE – TONE – SEMITONE
Or even frets:
Two Frets – Two Frets – One Fret – Two Frets – Two Frets – Two Frets – One Fret
Which gives us the following interval relationships from the tonic (1st note):
- Unison
- Major 2nd
- Major 3rd
- Perfect 4th
- Perfect 5th
- Major 6th
- Major 7th
- Octave
The notes of each chord in Eb major
All the chords in the key of Eb major are made up of notes from the Eb major scale.
| Eb major | Db | G | Bb |
| F minor | F | A | C |
| G minor | G | Bb | D |
| A major | A | C | Eb |
| Bb major | Bb | D | F |
| C minor | C | Eb | G |
| D diminished | D | F | A |
The relative minor scale of D#/Eb major is C minor, which comes from the 6th note of the major scale.
