C in E♭ major
In E♭ major, C is C (natural)
In E♭ major, C is C (natural)The key signature of E♭ major does not alter C, so it stays natural.
Is C sharp or flat in E♭ major?
In E♭ major, C is natural: the key signature has three flats, B♭, E♭ and A♭, and none of them falls on C, so you play the plain C unless a written accidental says otherwise.
The signature of E♭ major is three flats, B♭, E♭ and A♭. It alters only B, E and A, so C is left alone.
Spelled from the tonic, the E♭ major scale runs E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D — one of each letter, each carrying whatever the signature gives it. The staff above draws the E♭ major signature and the note C inside it — exactly as you would meet it in a piece written in this key.
Every letter in E♭ major
E♭ major has three flats, B♭, E♭ and A♭. That fixes what each of the seven letters is called in this key:
- C is C (natural — the signature leaves it alone) — the letter on this page
- D is D (natural — the signature leaves it alone)
- E is E♭
- F is F (natural — the signature leaves it alone)
- G is G (natural — the signature leaves it alone)
- A is A♭
- B is B♭
Related keys
E♭ major shares its signature with its relative C minor — the same sharps or flats, so C is natural there too.
Frequently asked questions
- Is C sharp or flat in E♭ major?
- No. E♭ major has three flats, B♭, E♭ and A♭ — none of them on C, so C is natural in this key.
- What accidental does C carry in E♭ major?
- C stays natural. The signature of E♭ major is three flats, B♭, E♭ and A♭. It alters only B, E and A, so C is left alone.
- What sharps or flats are in E♭ major?
- E♭ major has three flats, B♭, E♭ and A♭ — written in that order at the start of the staff.
- How is the E♭ major scale spelled?
- From the tonic up: E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D. Each letter appears once, carrying whatever the key signature gives it.