Julie Swihart

Major Key Chords

Let’s find all the chords for the key of E flat major. We can use these chords to create chord progressions and play creatively in the key of E flat.

How to Find Chords for E Flat

To find the chords for E flat, we’ll first need to build an E flat major scale (learn how to build a major scale here).

The notes for an E flat major scale are:

E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E♭

Next, we’ll build a “1 – 3 – 5” chord off each note of this scale, using only the notes of the scale to build the chord.

Starting on E♭, we’ll count “1 – 3 – 5” to build our first chord, using only the notes of the scale. When we do, we get: E♭ – G – B♭

Then we’ll start on F and build another “1 – 3 – 5” chord, using only the notes of the scale. When we do, we get: F – A♭ – C

Then we’ll start on G, and build another “1 – 3 – 5” chord, using only the notes of the scale: G – B♭ – D

We can continue following this pattern to build a chord off each note of the scale, using only the notes of the scale to build the chords.

Chords for Major Keys Printable

This 20-page PDF will help you learn the chords for every major key! Use these chords to build chord progressions and play creatively.

Get the Printable

Chords for the Key of E Flat Major

Here are the chords for E flat major:

E♭ – G – B♭ = E♭ major chord

F – A♭ – C = F minor chord

G – B♭ – D = G minor chord

A♭ – C – E♭ = A♭ major chord

B♭ – D – F = B♭ major chord

C – E♭ – G = C minor chord

D – F – A♭ = D diminished chord

Other Major Key Chords

You can find chords for the other major keys below:

C Major Chords
G Major Chords
D Major Chords
A Major Chords
E Major Chords
B Major Chords
F Sharp Major Chords
C Sharp Major Chords
F Major Chords
B Flat Major Chords
A Flat Major Chords
D Flat Major Chords
G Flat Major Chords
C Flat Major Chords

How to Label the Chords

You may have noticed the chords we built were either major, minor or diminished, and you might be wondering how we know the difference between these types. It depends on the intervals used to build the chords (learn about intervals here).

But to summarize, there are actually four types of “1 – 3 – 5” chords, or “triads”:

Major
Minor
Augmented
Diminished

A major chord is built using the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale.

A minor chord is a major chord with the middle note lowered 1/2 step.

An augmented chord is a major chord with the upper-note raised 1/2 step.

A diminished chord is a minor chord with the upper-note lowered 1/2 step.

When we build a chord off each note of the major scale, using only the notes of the scale to build the chords, we’ll always get these chord types in this order:

Major
Minor
Minor
Major
Major
Minor
Diminished

You can use this pattern to find the chords for any major key!

Primary Chords for E Flat Major

Each major key has three “primary” chords. Primary chords are built off the first, fourth and fifth notes of the major scale, and they’re used frequently in songs.

The primary chords for the key of E flat are:

E♭ major
A♭ major
B♭ major

Conclusion

Now you know how to find chords for the key of E flat major on the piano, and you can use this pattern to find the chords for any major key!

Using chords to learn the piano offers a lot of room for creativity and personal expression!