E♭ Whole Tone Scale
Notes in the E♭ Whole Tone Scale
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | E♭ | 311.127 Hz |
| 2 | Supertonic | F | 349.228 Hz |
| 3 | Mediant | G | 391.995 Hz |
| ♯4 | Augmented 4th | A | 440.000 Hz |
| ♯5 | Augmented 5th | C♭ | 493.883 Hz |
| ♭7 | Subtonic | D♭ | 277.183 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | E♭ | F |
| 2 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | F | G |
| 3 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | G | A |
| 4 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | A | C♭ |
| 5 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | C♭ | D♭ |
| 6 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | D♭ | E♭ |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E♭ | E♭ augmented | augmented |
| 2 | F | F augmented | augmented |
| 3 | G | G augmented | augmented |
| ♯4 | A | A augmented | augmented |
| ♯5 | C♭ | C♭ augmented | augmented |
| ♭7 | D♭ | D♭ augmented | augmented |
Key Signature
3 ♭ — The E♭ key signature uses B♭, E♭, A♭.
E♭ Whole Tone Scale in Practice
The E♭ Whole Tone Scale uses the key signature of 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭). Eb major has three flats and a rich, full sound well suited to brass instruments. It is widely used in jazz, classical music, and is the home key for Eb instruments. On guitar, E♭ positions offer comfortable transposing instrument keys for this scale.
The whole tone scale divides the octave into six equal whole steps, creating a symmetrical, ambiguous sound with no tonal center. Debussy used it extensively to create impressionistic, floating effects. When played starting on E♭, the 6 notes are E♭, F, G, A, C♭, D♭. In this key the signature has 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭). Eb is the concert key for alto saxophone and baritone saxophone playing in their native C, and it is a staple of big band and jazz ensemble writing. Eb is heavily used in R&B, soul, and gospel music, where horn sections in Bb and Eb instruments can play without difficult transpositions.
Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments
Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.
| Note | Equal Temp. | Pythagorean | Just Intonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| E♭ | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 Hz |
| F | 349.228 Hz | 347.654 Hz | 348.834 Hz |
| G | 391.995 Hz | 391.111 Hz | 392.438 Hz |
| A | 440.000 Hz | 440.000 Hz | 436.043 Hz |
| C♭ | 493.883 Hz | 495.000 Hz | 490.548 Hz |
| D♭ | 277.183 Hz | 278.437 Hz | 279.067 Hz |
Related Scales
Transposing Instruments: E♭ Whole Tone Scale
E♭ is a natural key for B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax), which sound a major second lower than written. B♭ instruments reading in C produce E♭ concert pitch. E♭ instruments (alto sax, baritone sax) reading in E♭ sound a major sixth lower.