Eb Minor Pentatonic Scale on Piano

The Eb Minor Pentatonic scale sounds raw and vocal. It runs Eb – Gb – Ab – Bb – Db and is written with five flats.

It shares its key signature with Gb major, its relative major.

Interval Circle

W+HWWW+HWCDbb7DEb1EFGbb3GAb4ABb5B

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

The same five-note shape rotated to start on its relative minor. It is the backbone of blues, rock and soul improvisation — five notes that stay usable over an entire minor or dominant progression.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

1-2-3-1-2-3

Left Hand (ascending)

4-3-2-1-2-1

Why this fingering

5 black keys (Eb, Gb, Ab, Bb, Db) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto Bb; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in Eb Minor Pentatonic

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
EbEb4Root (1)14
GbGb4Minor 3rd (b3)23
AbAb4Perfect 4th (4)32
BbBb4Perfect 5th (5)11
DbDb5Minor 7th (b7)22
EbEb5Octave (8)31

Other Minor Pentatonic Scales

C Minor Pentatonic
C – Eb – F – G – Bb
C# Minor Pentatonic
C# – E – F# – G# – B
D Minor Pentatonic
D – F – G – A – C
E Minor Pentatonic
E – G – A – B – D
F Minor Pentatonic
F – Ab – Bb – C – Eb
F# Minor Pentatonic
F# – A – B – C# – E
G Minor Pentatonic
G – Bb – C – D – F
G# Minor Pentatonic
G# – B – C# – D# – F#
A Minor Pentatonic
A – C – D – E – G
Bb Minor Pentatonic
Bb – Db – Eb – F – Ab
B Minor Pentatonic
B – D – E – F# – A

Other Eb Scales

Eb Major
Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb – C – D
Eb Natural Minor
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – Db
Eb Harmonic Minor
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – D
Eb Melodic Minor
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – C – D
Eb Major Pentatonic
Eb – F – G – Bb – C
Eb Blues
Eb – Gb – Ab – A – Bb – Db
Eb Dorian
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – C – Db
Eb Mixolydian
Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db
Eb Chromatic
Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C – Db – D