E♭ (musical note)

E♭ (E-flat; also called mi bémol) is the first note of the E♭ major scale.

Well-known compositions in E-flat major

The prelude to Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold is a famous piece of drone music that begins with a low E flat and builds to more elaborate forms of the E flat major chord. It is used in this opera to portray the motion of the river Rhine.[1]

Designation by octave

Scientific designation Helmholtz designation Octave name Frequency (Hz)
E♭−1E♭͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵E♭ or EEEE♭Subsubcontra9.723
E♭0E♭͵͵ or ͵͵E♭ or EEE♭Subcontra19.445
E♭1E♭͵ or ͵E♭ or EE♭Contra38.891
E♭2E♭Great77.782
E♭3e♭Small155.563
E♭4e♭′One-lined311.127
E♭5e♭′′Two-lined622.254
E♭6e♭′′′Three-lined1244.508
E♭7e♭′′′′Four-lined2489.016
E♭8e♭′′′′′Five-lined4978.032
E♭9e♭′′′′′′Six-lined9956.063
E♭10e♭′′′′′′′Seven-lined19912.127

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♭

References

  1. ↑ Erickson, Robert, Sound Structure in Music, p. 94. University of California Press, 1975 ISBN 0-520-02376-5