Eb Neapolitan, Notes and Fingering
Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, C and D form the Eb Neapolitan scale. Fb is the flat second and it is the same pitch as E, so on the neck you play an Eb scale with a lowered second degree.
The root is the 11th fret of the low E string, or the 6th fret of the A string. Because of the three flats at the start of the key, many players choose to learn the shape in C and slide it up.
Play the Eb neapolitan scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the Eb neapolitan scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eb | 1 | Root | 0 |
| Fb | b2 | Minor 2nd | 1 |
| Gb | b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 |
| Ab | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| Bb | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| C | 6 | Major 6th | 9 |
| D | 7 | Major 7th | 11 |
Structure
Eb neapolitan scale notes:
How the neapolitan scale is built:
The neapolitan scale is built from the degrees 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 7, which gives the step pattern H-W-W-W-W-W-H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is also known as Neapolitan Major.
Eb Neapolitan Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (D)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
3 notes per string — position 2
3 notes per string — position 3
3 notes per string — position 4
3 notes per string — position 5
Chords in the Eb neapolitan scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Scales with the same notes as Eb Neapolitan
These scales use exactly the same notes. Each one starts somewhere else, so the root and the mood change.
| Scale | Starts on degree | Learn the scale |
|---|---|---|
| Bb Arabic | 5 | Major Locrian |
Other scales on Eb
Same root, different notes. Play them back to back to hear what changes.
- Eb Phrygian: shares 5 notes
- Eb Harmonic Minor: shares 5 notes
- Eb Melodic Minor: 2 instead of b2
- Eb Dorian b2: b7 instead of 7
The neapolitan scale in other keys
Keep learning
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
