E♭ (musical note)

E♭ (E-flat; also called mi bémol) is the first note of the E♭ major scale.

Well-known compositions in E-flat major

The prelude to Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold is a famous piece of drone music that begins with a low E flat and builds to more elaborate forms of the E flat major chord. It is used in this opera to portray the motion of the river Rhine.[1]

Designation by octave

Scientific designation Helmholtz designation Octave name Frequency (Hz)
E−1 E͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵E or EEEE Subsubcontra 9.723
E0 E͵͵ or ͵͵E or EEE Subcontra 19.445
E1 E͵ or ͵E or EE Contra 38.891
E2 E Great 77.782
E3 e Small 155.563
E4 e One-lined 311.127
E5 e′′ Two-lined 622.254
E6 e′′′ Three-lined 1244.508
E7 e′′′′ Four-lined 2489.016
E8 e′′′′′ Five-lined 4978.032
E9 e′′′′′′ Six-lined 9956.063
E10 e′′′′′′′ Seven-lined 19912.127

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

References

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