Ebm7

Ebm7, or E-flat minor seventh, is a four-note chord used across jazz, pop, and classical harmony. It consists of a root, a minor third, a perfect fifth, and a minor seventh: Eb, Gb, Bb, and Db.

The chord is spelled with Eb as the root, giving notes Eb–Gb–Bb–Db. Enharmonically, it can be seen as D♯m7, though Ebm7 is the conventional spelling in most contexts. In functional harmony, Ebm7 frequently serves as a ii7 chord in the key of Db major, where it typically leads to Ab7 (the V7) and then to Dbmaj7 (the I). It can also appear in other keys as a ii7 or in modal interchange from parallel minor.

Common voicings include piano arrangements such as the root-position Eb–Gb–Bb–Db and its three inversions: Gb–Bb–Db–Eb, Bb–Db–Eb–Gb, and Db–Eb–Gb–Bb. These inversions help with voice leading in progressions and provide different textures. In guitar music, Ebm7 is often played with movable shapes based on the minor7 family, giving a compact, jazz-tinged sound that fits many ii–V–I progressions.

References to Ebm7 appear in many genres, contributing a subdued, introspective color and a smooth approach to dominant preparations and resolutions. See also minor seventh chords and ii–V–I progressions.