E in G♭ major
In G♭ major, E is E♭ (flat)
In G♭ major, E is E♭ (flat)The key signature of G♭ major puts a flat on every E.
Is E flat in G♭ major?
In G♭ major, E is E♭: the key signature puts a flat on every E, in every octave, for as long as that signature stands.
The signature of G♭ major is six flats, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ and C♭. E♭ is one of them, which is why you never see a flat written next to the note — the signature at the start of the staff already said it.
Spelled from the tonic, the G♭ major scale runs G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F — one of each letter, each carrying whatever the signature gives it. The staff above draws the G♭ major signature and the note E♭ inside it — exactly as you would meet it in a piece written in this key.
Every letter in G♭ major
G♭ major has six flats, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ and C♭. That fixes what each of the seven letters is called in this key:
- C is C♭
- D is D♭
- E is E♭ — the letter on this page
- F is F (natural — the signature leaves it alone)
- G is G♭
- A is A♭
- B is B♭
Related keys
G♭ major shares its signature with its relative E♭ minor — the same sharps or flats, so E is E♭ there too.
G♭ major and F♯ major are the same key on the keyboard, written two different ways — so they answer this question differently: E is E♭ in G♭ major, and E♯ in F♯ major.
Frequently asked questions
- Is E flat in G♭ major?
- Yes. G♭ major has six flats, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ and C♭, and E♭ is one of them, so every E in the key is played as E♭.
- What accidental does E carry in G♭ major?
- E is E♭ (flat). The signature of G♭ major is six flats, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ and C♭. E♭ is one of them, which is why you never see a flat written next to the note — the signature at the start of the staff already said it.
- What sharps or flats are in G♭ major?
- G♭ major has six flats, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ and C♭ — written in that order at the start of the staff.
- How is the G♭ major scale spelled?
- From the tonic up: G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F. Each letter appears once, carrying whatever the key signature gives it.