Ebm/Bb on guitar: E flat minor with B flat in the bass
Ebm/Bb is the E flat minor chord (E♭, G♭, B♭) with its 5th, B♭, as the lowest note: the 2nd inversion of Ebm. The notes are the same as in Ebm; only the one at the bottom changes.
- Notes
- E♭G♭B♭
- Bass
- B♭ 5th of the chord
How to play Ebm/Bb on guitar
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Shape 1 · fret 1 · barre
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Shape 2 · fret 6 · barre
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Shape 3 · fret 3
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Shape 4 · fret 8
Where Ebm/Bb shows up
The 5th in the bass is unstable and asks to move. The textbook use is the cadence: Ebm/Bb → Bb7 → Ebm, with the bass holding the same note through the first two chords (the "cadential six-four").
Other positions of Ebm
Frequently asked questions
What does Ebm/Bb mean?
Ebm/Bb reads "Ebm over B♭": you play Ebm and the lowest note is B♭. In a chord symbol, whatever comes after the slash is always the bass.
What is the difference between Ebm/Bb and Ebm?
The notes are the same (E♭, G♭, B♭); only the lowest one changes. With B♭ in the bass, Ebm is in 2nd inversion, and the bass line can move by step between chords.
How do you play Ebm/Bb on guitar?
The shapes on this page go from easiest to hardest. In all of them B♭ is the lowest note; the low strings that would sound below it are not played (x).