All chords › Eb › Suspended & Altered

Eb Suspended & Altered Chords

Chords that swap the third for a second or a fourth, and chords that bend the fifth or the ninth out of shape. Suspensions blur the major/minor question; altered chords sharpen the pull toward whatever comes next.

17 chord types · 143 playable voicings · frets 1–14 · 43 use an open string

43 of the 143 shapes below let at least one string ring open, which usually makes them easier to hold and fuller to hear than the barred equivalents. The rest are movable grips. In the keys you are most likely to meet them, these chords sit as the I of Eb, the IV of G#, and the V of Bb.

Jump to: Ebsus2 · Ebsus4 · Eb7sus4 · Ebmaj7sus4 · Eb7sus2 · Ebmaj7sus2 · Eb6sus4 · Eb6sus2 · Ebm7b5 · Ebm7#5 · Ebdim7 · Eb7b9 · Eb7#9 · Eb7b5 · Ebaug7 · Ebaug7b9 · Ebm7b9

Ebsus2

EbFBb
13 shapes · open & play
X
X
X
1
3
2
X
X
1
3
4
2
X
X
X
3
4
1
1
X
X
3
4
1
1
2
X
6
1
3
4
1
1
X
X
6
1
4
2
3
X
X
X
6
1
2
3
X
X
X
6
3
1
1
X
X
X
8
4
1
1
X
X
10
2
1
3
4
X
X
10
4
1
2
3
X
X
X
11
1
2
3
X
X
X
11
3
1
4

Ebsus2 fits 10 of the twenty-four major and minor keys — a chord this open leaves most of the scale untouched. These are the 5 where it carries the weight, as the I, IV or V: I of Eb major, i of Eb minor, V of G# major, IV of Bb major, iv of Bb minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebsus2
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 3 X 1– – 1 3 – 2
X X 1 3 4 1– – 1 3 4 2
X 6 3 3 X X– 4 1 1 – –
X 6 3 3 4 X– 4 1 1 2 –
X 6 8 8 6 6– 1 3 4 1 1
X 6 X 8 6 6– 1 – 4 2 3
X 6 X X 6 6– 1 – – 2 3
X X X 8 6 6– – – 3 1 1
11 8 8 X X X4 1 1 – – –
11 X X 10 11 112 – – 1 3 4
X X 13 10 11 11– – 4 1 2 3
11 X X X 11 131 – – – 2 3
X X 13 X 11 13– – 3 – 1 4

Ebsus4

EbG#Bb
10 shapes · open & play
X
X
X
1
3
4
X
X
X
3
3
4
1
X
X
6
1
1
3
2
X
X
6
1
1
4
2
X
6
1
1
3
4
2
X
X
X
6
1
1
2
11
1
1
3
4
1
1
11
1
2
3
4
1
1
X
X
X
11
1
3
4
X
X
X
11
3
4
1

Ebsus4 fits 10 of the twenty-four major and minor keys — a chord this open leaves most of the scale untouched. These are the 5 where it carries the weight, as the I, IV or V: I of Eb major, i of Eb minor, V of G# major, v of G# minor, iv of Bb minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebsus4
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 3 X 4– – 1 3 – 4
X 6 6 3 X X– 3 4 1 – –
X 6 6 8 X 6– 1 1 3 – 2
X 6 6 X 9 6– 1 1 – 4 2
X 6 6 8 9 6– 1 1 3 4 2
X 6 6 X X 6– 1 1 – – 2
11 11 13 13 11 111 1 3 4 1 1
11 13 13 13 11 111 2 3 4 1 1
11 13 X 13 X X1 3 – 4 – –
X X 13 13 11 X– – 3 4 1 –

Eb7sus4

EbG#BbC#
7 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
3
2
4
X
6
1
1
1
4
2
X
X
6
1
2
4
3
X
6
1
3
1
4
1
X
X
6
1
3
2
4
11
1
1
1
4
2
3
11
1
3
1
4
1
1

Eb7sus4 turns up as the i, V, v, iv chord across 8 keys: i of Eb minor, V of G# major, v of G# minor, iv of Bb minor, vi of F# major, ii of C# major, iii of B major, VII of F minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Eb7sus4
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 3 2 4– – 1 3 2 4
X 6 6 6 9 6– 1 1 1 4 2
X 6 X 6 9 6– 1 – 2 4 3
X 6 8 6 9 6– 1 3 1 4 1
X 6 8 6 9 X– 1 3 2 4 –
11 11 11 13 11 111 1 1 4 2 3
11 13 11 13 11 111 3 1 4 1 1

Ebmaj7sus4

EbG#BbD
10 shapes · open & play
X
O
3
4
1
1
2
X
O
3
4
1
2
3
X
X
3
3
4
1
1
X
3
3
4
1
1
2
X
O
6
1
3
4
2
X
6
1
1
3
4
2
X
6
1
3
2
4
1
O
11
1
1
4
2
3
11
1
1
2
3
1
1
11
1
3
2
4
1
1

Ebmaj7sus4 is the I and the III chord of Eb major and C minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebmaj7sus4
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 6 0 3 3 4– 4 – 1 1 2
X 6 0 3 4 4– 4 – 1 2 3
X 6 6 3 3 X– 3 4 1 1 –
X 6 6 3 3 4– 3 4 1 1 2
X 6 0 8 9 6– 1 – 3 4 2
X 6 6 7 9 6– 1 1 3 4 2
X 6 8 7 9 6– 1 3 2 4 1
11 11 0 13 11 111 1 – 4 2 3
11 11 12 13 11 111 1 2 3 1 1
11 13 12 13 11 111 3 2 4 1 1

Eb7sus2

EbFBbC#
6 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
4
3
2
X
6
1
3
1
1
1
X
X
6
1
4
2
3
X
6
1
3
1
1
4
8
3
1
1
1
4
2
X
X
11
1
2
3
4

Eb7sus2 turns up as the i, V, iv, vi chord across 6 keys: i of Eb minor, V of G# major, iv of Bb minor, vi of F# major, ii of C# major, VII of F minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Eb7sus2
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 3 2 1– – 1 4 3 2
X 6 8 6 6 6– 1 3 1 1 1
X 6 8 6 6 X– 1 4 2 3 –
X 6 8 6 6 9– 1 3 1 1 4
11 8 8 8 11 93 1 1 1 4 2
11 X 11 X 11 131 – 2 – 3 4

Ebmaj7sus2

EbFBbD
10 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
3
4
2
X
X
3
4
1
1
1
X
O
6
1
4
2
3
X
O
6
1
4
2
3
X
O
X
6
1
2
3
X
6
1
3
2
1
1
O
10
2
4
1
3
1
X
O
10
2
1
3
4
X
X
10
3
1
4
2
X
X
10
4
1
3
2

Ebmaj7sus2 turns up as the I, IV, VI, III chord across 4 keys: I of Eb major, IV of Bb major, VI of G minor, III of C minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebmaj7sus2
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 3 3 1– – 1 3 4 2
X 6 3 3 3 X– 4 1 1 1 –
X 6 0 8 6 6– 1 – 4 2 3
X 6 0 7 6 6– 1 – 4 2 3
X 6 0 X 6 6– 1 – – 2 3
X 6 8 7 6 6– 1 3 2 1 1
11 13 0 10 11 102 4 – 1 3 1
11 X 0 10 11 112 – – 1 3 4
11 X X 10 11 103 – – 1 4 2
X X 13 10 11 10– – 4 1 3 2

Eb6sus4

EbG#BbC
5 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
3
2
4
X
X
5
2
3
1
4
8
3
4
1
1
2
1
8
2
3
1
1
4
1
11
1
3
3
3
3
1

Eb6sus4 turns up as the I, V, iv, ii chord across 6 keys: I of Eb major, V of G# major, iv of Bb minor, ii of C# major, III of C minor, VII of F minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Eb6sus4
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 3 1 4– – 1 3 2 4
X 6 6 5 X 6– 2 3 1 – 4
11 11 8 8 9 83 4 1 1 2 1
11 11 8 8 11 82 3 1 1 4 1
11 13 13 13 13 111 3 3 3 3 1

Eb6sus2

EbFBbC
4 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
4
2
3
X
X
5
2
1
3
4
X
X
8
4
1
1
2
8
3
1
1
1
4
1

Eb6sus2 turns up as the I, V, IV, iv chord across 8 keys: I of Eb major, V of G# major, IV of Bb major, iv of Bb minor, VI of G minor, ii of C# major, III of C minor, VII of F minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Eb6sus2
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 3 1 1– – 1 4 2 3
X 6 X 5 6 6– 2 – 1 3 4
11 8 8 X X 84 1 1 – – 2
11 8 8 8 11 83 1 1 1 4 1

Ebm7b5

EbF#AC#
10 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
2
3
4
X
4
3
1
4
1
2
X
X
4
3
1
4
2
X
X
6
1
2
3
4
X
6
1
2
1
3
4
X
X
6
1
3
2
4
X
X
10
2
3
4
1
11
1
2
1
1
4
1
11
1
2
3
1
4
1
11
1
2
1
1
3
4

Ebm7b5 is the ii° and the vii° chord of C# minor and E major.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebm7b5
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 2 2 2– – 1 2 3 4
X 6 4 6 4 5– 3 1 4 1 2
X 6 4 6 X 5– 3 1 4 – 2
X 6 7 X 7 9– 1 2 – 3 4
X 6 7 6 7 9– 1 2 1 3 4
X 6 7 6 7 X– 1 3 2 4 –
11 X 11 11 10 X2 – 3 4 1 –
11 12 11 11 14 111 2 1 1 4 1
11 12 13 11 14 111 2 3 1 4 1
11 12 11 11 14 141 2 1 1 3 4

Ebm7#5

EbF#BC#
7 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
4
2
3
X
O
X
4
3
1
4
X
6
1
4
1
2
3
X
X
6
1
4
2
3
X
X
6
1
2
3
4
O
9
3
1
1
4
2
11
1
4
1
1
2
1

Ebm7#5 turns up as the i, v, vi, ii° chord across 6 keys: i of Eb minor, v of G# minor, vi of F# major, ii° of C# minor, iii of B major, vii° of E major.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebm7#5
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 4 2 2– – 1 4 2 3
X 6 4 6 0 X– 3 1 4 – –
X 6 9 6 7 7– 1 4 1 2 3
X 6 9 6 7 X– 1 4 2 3 –
X 6 X 6 7 7– 1 – 2 3 4
11 9 9 11 0 93 1 1 4 – 2
11 14 11 11 12 111 4 1 1 2 1

Ebdim7

EbF#AC
8 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
3
2
4
X
4
4
1
2
1
3
X
5
2
3
1
4
1
X
X
5
2
3
1
4
O
X
X
10
2
1
3
O
10
2
1
3
1
4
X
X
10
3
1
4
2
11
1
2
3
1
4
1

Ebdim7 — Four notes stacked a minor third apart, so it belongs to no key in particular. That symmetry makes it a pivot: it can slide into almost any chord, which is why it turns up at the seams where a song changes direction.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebdim7
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 2 1 2– – 1 3 2 4
X 6 4 5 4 5– 4 1 2 1 3
X 6 7 5 7 5– 2 3 1 4 1
X 6 7 5 7 X– 2 3 1 4 –
11 0 10 11 X X2 – 1 3 – –
11 0 10 11 10 112 – 1 3 1 4
11 X 10 11 10 X3 – 1 4 2 –
11 12 13 11 13 111 2 3 1 4 1

Eb7b9

EbGBbC#E
6 shapes · open & play
X
5
2
1
3
1
4
X
O
6
1
3
2
4
O
O
10
2
1
3
4
O
X
O
11
1
3
2
O
11
1
3
1
2
1
O
O
11
1
4
2
3

Eb7b9 — A dominant seventh with a flattened ninth on top. The ninth is outside the key, which is the point: it makes the resolution feel earned. Very common resolving into a minor chord.

Fret and finger numbers for Eb7b9
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 6 5 6 5 6– 2 1 3 1 4
X 6 8 6 8 0– 1 3 2 4 –
11 10 11 0 11 02 1 3 – 4 –
11 13 11 0 X 01 3 2 – – –
11 13 11 12 11 01 3 1 2 1 –
11 13 11 0 11 01 4 2 – 3 –

Eb7#9

EbGBbC#F#
6 shapes · open & play
X
O
6
1
3
2
4
8
4
2
1
1
1
3
10
2
1
3
3
3
3
O
11
1
3
1
4
4
11
1
3
1
2
1
4
11
1
3
1
2
4
4

Eb7#9 — The Hendrix chord. A dominant seventh carrying both a major third and a raised ninth — which is the minor third in disguise. Major and minor at once, and neither.

Fret and finger numbers for Eb7#9
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 6 8 0 7 9– 1 3 – 2 4
11 9 8 8 8 94 2 1 1 1 3
11 10 11 11 11 112 1 3 3 3 3
11 13 11 0 14 141 3 1 – 4 4
11 13 11 12 11 141 3 1 2 1 4
11 13 11 12 14 141 3 1 2 4 4

Eb7b5

EbGAC#
16 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
2
3
4
X
X
5
2
3
4
1
X
5
2
1
3
4
1
X
X
5
3
1
4
2
X
O
6
1
2
3
4
X
X
6
1
3
2
4
X
6
1
2
1
3
4
O
X
O
8
4
1
2
O
X
8
4
1
1
2
O
X
O
X
9
3
1
O
O
9
3
4
2
1
O
O
10
2
3
1
4
O
O
X
X
11
1
2
O
O
X
11
1
2
3
O
X
11
1
4
2
3
11
1
2
1
3
4
1

Eb7b5 — A dominant seventh with the fifth flattened. It is a V chord under tension, and it resolves like one; the flat fifth just sharpens the pull.

Fret and finger numbers for Eb7b5
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 2 2 3– – 1 2 3 4
X 6 X 6 8 5– 2 – 3 4 1
X 6 5 6 8 5– 2 1 3 4 1
X 6 5 6 X 5– 3 1 4 – 2
X 6 7 0 8 9– 1 2 – 3 4
X 6 7 6 8 X– 1 3 2 4 –
X 6 7 6 8 9– 1 2 1 3 4
11 0 X 0 8 94 – – – 1 2
11 0 X 8 8 94 – – 1 1 2
11 0 X 0 X 93 – – – – 1
11 0 11 0 10 93 – 4 – 2 1
11 0 11 0 10 112 – 3 – 1 4
11 0 11 0 X X1 – 2 – – –
11 0 11 0 X 111 – 2 – – 3
11 12 11 0 X 111 4 2 – – 3
11 12 11 12 14 111 2 1 3 4 1

Ebaug7

EbGBC#
11 shapes · open & play
X
X
1
4
2
3
X
O
X
5
2
1
3
X
X
5
2
1
3
4
X
X
O
O
6
1
4
X
6
1
4
1
3
2
X
X
6
1
2
4
3
O
O
9
4
3
1
2
O
O
9
3
2
4
1
O
O
10
2
1
3
4
O
O
11
1
4
2
3
11
1
4
1
2
3
1

Ebaug7 — A dominant seventh with the fifth raised. Same job as a plain seventh — pulling toward the chord a fourth above — with more strain in the middle of the chord.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebaug7
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X X 1 4 2 3– – 1 4 2 3
X 6 5 6 0 X– 2 1 3 – –
X 6 5 6 X 7– 2 1 3 – 4
X 6 X 0 0 9– 1 – – – 4
X 6 9 6 8 7– 1 4 1 3 2
X 6 X 6 8 7– 1 – 2 4 3
11 10 9 0 0 94 3 1 – – 2
11 10 11 0 0 93 2 4 – – 1
11 10 11 0 0 112 1 3 – – 4
11 14 11 0 0 111 4 2 – – 3
11 14 11 12 12 111 4 1 2 3 1

Ebaug7b9

EbGBC#E
8 shapes · open & play
X
O
O
5
2
1
3
X
5
2
1
3
1
4
X
O
6
1
4
2
3
O
9
4
3
1
1
2
O
O
9
3
2
4
1
9
3
2
1
1
4
1
O
O
O
10
2
1
3
O
O
O
11
1
4
2

Ebaug7b9 — A dominant seventh with both the fifth and the ninth altered. It exists to make the chord it resolves to sound like relief.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebaug7b9
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 6 5 6 0 0– 2 1 3 – –
X 6 5 6 5 7– 2 1 3 1 4
X 6 9 6 8 0– 1 4 2 3 –
11 10 9 9 0 94 3 1 1 – 2
11 10 11 9 0 03 2 4 1 – –
11 10 9 9 12 93 2 1 1 4 1
11 10 11 0 0 02 1 3 – – –
11 14 11 0 0 01 4 2 – – –

Ebm7b9

EbF#BbC#E
6 shapes · open & play
X
O
6
1
4
2
3
9
3
1
3
1
4
1
O
11
1
3
1
1
1
11
1
3
1
1
1
2
11
1
3
1
1
4
2
11
1
2
3
1
4
1

Ebm7b9 is the v and the iii chord of G# minor and B major.

Fret and finger numbers for Ebm7b9
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 6 8 6 7 0– 1 4 2 3 –
11 9 11 9 11 93 1 3 1 4 1
11 13 11 11 11 01 3 1 1 1 –
11 13 11 11 11 121 3 1 1 1 2
11 13 11 11 14 121 3 1 1 4 2
11 13 14 11 14 111 2 3 1 4 1

Every chord above has an open & play link that opens it in the interactive dictionary, where you can hear it and step through the shapes. You can also work backwards from a shape you are already holding.