E♭ (musical note)

E♭ (E-flat) or mi bémol is the fourth semitone of the solfège.

E Flat

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♯ is not the same as E♭. E♭ is a perfect fourth above B♭, whereas D♯ 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.

In German nomenclature, it is known as Es, sometimes (especially in the context of musical motifs) abbreviated to S.

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	Octave name	Frequency (Hz)
E♭₋₁	E♭͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵E♭ or EEEE♭	Subsubcontra	9.723
E♭₀	E♭͵͵ or ͵͵E♭ or EEE♭	Subcontra	19.445
E♭₁	E♭͵ or ͵E♭ or EE♭	Contra	38.891
E♭₂	E♭	Great	77.782
E♭₃	e♭	Small	155.563
E♭₄	e♭′	One-lined	311.127
E♭₅	e♭′′	Two-lined	622.254
E♭₆	e♭′′′	Three-lined	1244.508
E♭₇	e♭′′′′	Four-lined	2489.016
E♭₈	e♭′′′′′	Five-lined	4978.032
E♭₉	e♭′′′′′′	Six-lined	9956.063
E♭₁₀	e♭′′′′′′′	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♭

References

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

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