E♭ Neapolitan Major at a glance
Neapolitan major is rare but striking. It pairs a flat second and a minor third with a bright major sixth and seventh, which gives it that operatic flair. Built on the root E♭, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where E♭ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C D |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2m · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7M |
| Step pattern | H W W W W W H |
| Chords in the key | E♭mF♭+G♭+A♭B♭(♭5)C°D–F♭–A♭ |
Chords in the E♭ Neapolitan Major scale
These are the chords that naturally form on each degree of the scale. Click a chord to open its dedicated page.
E♭ Neapolitan Major on the piano
Improvisation drone · E♭
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano E♭ Neapolitan Major uses four black keys (E♭, G♭, A♭ and B♭) and three white. F♭ is the white key you'd normally call E.
E♭ · F♭ · G♭ · A♭ · B♭ · C · D
Try E♭ Neapolitan Major on the virtual piano
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E♭ Neapolitan Major on the guitar
E♭ Neapolitan Major - fr 0–12
E♭ Neapolitan Major on the staff
Notes of the E♭ Neapolitan Major scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E♭ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | F♭ | minor 2nd2m | 1 | |
| 3 | G♭ | minor 3rd3m | 3 | |
| 4 | A♭ | perfect 4th4P | 5 | |
| 5 | B♭ | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 6 | C | major 6th6M | 9 | |
| 7 | D | major 7th7M | 11 |
What makes E♭ Neapolitan Major different
Neapolitan major, despite the name, has a minor third: it's melodic minor with a lowered second. That ♭2 is the only note separating it from melodic minor, and it sits a half step above the tonic like the Neapolitan chord of classical harmony. The upper half (5, 6, 7 and the octave) is the same as in the major scale, which is where the “major” in the name comes from. Its tonic chord is minor, while its IV and V chords are major. On E♭, E♭ Neapolitan Major has F♭ where E♭ Melodic Minor has F; every other note is shared with E♭ Melodic Minor (E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D).
How to use the E♭ Neapolitan Major scale
The diatonic chords of E♭ Neapolitan Major are: i = E♭m, II+ = F♭+, III+ = G♭+, IV = A♭, V♭5 = B♭(♭5), vi° = C°, VII = D–F♭–A♭. These seven chords belong naturally to the key and are the safest harmonic vocabulary when writing songs in E♭ Neapolitan Major. Each one in the chord table on this page opens its own diagram and progressions.
Neapolitan major is rare but striking. It pairs a flat second and a minor third with a bright major sixth and seventh, which gives it that operatic flair.
Practice tips
Lean on the flat second as a chromatic neighbour to the tonic - gives this scale its operatic gravitas.
Formula & step pattern
The E♭ Neapolitan Major scale follows melodic minor with a flat second, so a minor third under a major sixth and seventh. Step pattern: H - W - W - W - W - W - H. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2m · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7M. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear E♭ Neapolitan Major
Start with the music described above: listen for E♭ Neapolitan Major in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the E♭ Neapolitan Major scale?
The E♭ Neapolitan Major scale contains E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭, C and D.
What is the formula for the E♭ Neapolitan Major scale?
E♭ Neapolitan Major follows melodic minor with a flat second, so a minor third under a major sixth and seventh.
Is E♭ Neapolitan Major a major or minor scale?
E♭ Neapolitan Major is a neapolitan major scale. Melodic minor with a flat second - operatic, dramatic and angular.
What chords belong to the E♭ Neapolitan Major scale?
The diatonic chords of E♭ Neapolitan Major are E♭m, F♭+, G♭+, A♭, B♭(♭5), C°, D–F♭–A♭.
Which genres use E♭ Neapolitan Major?
Neapolitan major is rare but striking. It pairs a flat second and a minor third with a bright major sixth and seventh, which gives it that operatic flair.
How do you play the E♭ Neapolitan Major scale on the piano?
On the piano E♭ Neapolitan Major uses four black keys (E♭, G♭, A♭ and B♭) and three white. F♭ is the white key you'd normally call E.
What is the difference between E♭ Neapolitan Major and E♭ Melodic Minor?
On E♭, E♭ Neapolitan Major has F♭ where E♭ Melodic Minor has F; every other note is shared with E♭ Melodic Minor (E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D).
How do I practise the E♭ Neapolitan Major scale?
Lean on the flat second as a chromatic neighbour to the tonic - gives this scale its operatic gravitas.