E♭ (musical note)
E♭ (E-flat) or mi bémol is the fourth semitone of the solfege.
It lies a diatonic semitone above D and a chromatic semitone below E, thus being enharmonic to D♯ (D-sharp) or Re Dièse. In equal temperament it is also enharmonic with F
. However, in some temperaments, D-sharp is not the same as E-flat. E-flat is a perfect fifth below B♭, whereas D-sharp is a major third above B.
When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of the E♭ above middle C (or E♭4) is approximately 311.127 Hz. See pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.
Well-known compositions in E-flat major
The prelude to Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold is a famous piece of drone music that begin with a low E flat and builds to more and more elaborate figurations of the chord of E flat major. It is used in this opera to portray the motion of the river Rhine.[1]
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 (also known as The Emperor) and Symphony No. 3 (also known as the Eroica) are two more well-known piece set in the key of E-flat major. Robert Schumann's Symphony No. 3 (also known as the Rhenish Symphony) is yet another.
Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Chile is a well-known popular music piece commonly performed in E-flat major.
Designation by octave
| Scientific designation | Helmholtz designation | Bilinear music notation | Octave name | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E♭−1 | E♭͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵E♭ or EEEE♭ | (-uE♭) | Subsubcontra | 9.723 |
| E♭0 | E♭͵͵ or ͵͵E♭ or EEE♭ | (-vE♭) | Subcontra | 19.445 |
| E♭1 | E♭͵ or ͵E♭ or EE♭ | (-wE♭) | Contra | 38.891 |
| E♭2 | E♭ | (-xE♭) | Great | 77.782 |
| E♭3 | e♭ | (-yE♭) | Small | 155.563 |
| E♭4 | e♭′ | (zE♭) | One-lined | 311.127 |
| E♭5 | e♭′′ | (yE♭) | Two-lined | 622.254 |
| E♭6 | e♭′′′ | (xE♭) | Three-lined | 1244.508 |
| E♭7 | e♭′′′′ | (wE♭) | Four-lined | 2489.016 |
| E♭8 | e♭′′′′′ | (vE♭) | Five-lined | 4978.032 |
| E♭9 | e♭′′′′′′ | (uE♭) | Six-lined | 9956.063 |
| E♭10 | e♭′′′′′′′ | (tE♭) | Seven-lined | 19912.127 |
Scales
Common scales beginning on E♭
- E♭ Major: E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭
- E♭ Natural Minor: E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭
- E♭ Harmonic Minor: E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D E♭
- E♭ Melodic Minor Ascending: E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D E♭
- E♭ Melodic Minor Descending: E♭ D♭ C♭ B♭ A♭ G♭ F E♭
Diatonic scales
- E♭ Ionian: E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭
- E♭ Dorian: E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭
- E♭ Phrygian: E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭
- E♭ Lydian: E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭
- E♭ Mixolydian: E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭
- E♭ Aeolian: E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭
- E♭ Locrian: E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B C♭ D♭ E♭
Jazz melodic minor
- E♭ Ascending Melodic Minor: E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D E♭
- E♭ Dorian ♭2: E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭
- E♭ Lydian Augmented: E♭ F G A B C D E♭
- E♭ Lydian Dominant: E♭ F G A B♭ C D♭ E♭
- E♭ Mixolydian ♭6: E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭
- E♭ Locrian ♮2: E♭ F G♭ A♭ B C♭ D♭ E♭
- E♭ Altered: E♭ F♭ G♭ A B C♭ D♭ E♭