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B♭ major 7th chord on bass (B♭maj7)
Also called or written B♭maj7 or B♭M7
B♭ major 7th contains B♭, D, F, and A. The 6th-fret shape requires a wide stretch from the index to the pinky.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7
How do you play a B♭ major 7th chord on bass?
B♭ major 7th is played at the 6th fret as 6 8 7 7: index finger on the E string at fret 6, pinky finger on the A string at fret 8, middle finger on the D string at fret 7 and ring finger on the G string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 8 | 4 | F (5) |
| 2 (D) | 7 | 2 | A (7) |
| 1 (G) | 7 | 3 | D (3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach the 8th fret on the 3rd string while the index stays at the 6th fret, creating a wide span.
B♭maj7/F inversion · 1-0-0-3
B♭ major 7th is played in open position as 1 0 0 3: index finger on the E string at fret 1 and middle finger on the G string at fret 3. The A and D strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
| 3 (A) | open | — | A (7) |
| 2 (D) | open | — | D (3) |
| 1 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
B♭maj7/F inversion · 1-1-0-2
B♭ major 7th is played in open position as 1 1 0 2: index finger on the E string at fret 1, middle finger on the A string at fret 1 and ring finger on the G string at fret 2. The D string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
| 3 (A) | 1 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | open | — | D (3) |
| 1 (G) | 2 | 3 | A (7) |
B♭maj7/F inversion · 13-13-12-14
B♭ major 7th is played at the 12th fret as 13 13 12 14: middle finger on the E string at fret 13, ring finger on the A string at fret 13, index finger on the D string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 14.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 13 | 2 | F (5) |
| 3 (A) | 13 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 12 | 1 | D (3) |
| 1 (G) | 14 | 4 | A (7) |
B♭maj7/A inversion
B♭ major 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 5 5 3 3: ring finger on the E string at fret 5, pinky finger on the A string at fret 5, index finger on the D string at fret 3 and middle finger on the G string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 5 | 3 | A (7) |
| 3 (A) | 5 | 4 | D (3) |
| 2 (D) | 3 | 1 | F (5) |
| 1 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ major 7th is built from the 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the B♭ major scale. The major 7th interval from B♭ to A gives the chord its smooth, resolved character. Compare it to B♭ major, which lacks the A and sounds more straightforward.
What goes wrong with B♭ major 7th?
- Letting the pinky land flat and mute the 2nd string.
- Pulling the index finger off the 4th string when reaching with the pinky.
- Striking the 3rd string too softly so the D note is lost.
When to use it
B♭ major 7th functions as the I chord in B♭ major, heard in B♭–E♭–F–B♭, the I–IV–V–I. It fits jazz standards, R&B, and mellow pop. Use it over B♭ major or B♭ 5th.
Changing to and from B♭ major 7th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 5th fret gives A major 7th.
- From B♭ major 7th, lift the pinky and move the middle and ring fingers to the 6th fret to play B♭ major.
Which voicing to use
The 6th-fret shape keeps B♭ in the bass for a solid root position. The B♭maj7/F inversion at the 1st fret puts F in the bass, making the chord feel lighter. The B♭maj7/A inversion at the 5th fret has the leading tone A in the bass, adding pull toward B♭.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ major 7th written?
B♭ major 7th is written B♭M7 or B♭maj7. The ASCII root spelling is Bb. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the hardest part of B♭ major 7th?
The hardest part is stretching the pinky to the 8th fret while keeping the index on the 6th fret. Practice the stretch slowly to build flexibility.
How does B♭ major 7th differ from B♭ major?
B♭ major 7th adds the A, the major 7th, to the B♭ major triad. That note creates a more sophisticated, jazzy sound.
Can B♭ major 7th be played in a lower register?
Yes, the B♭maj7/F inversion at the 1st fret uses open strings and sits lower on the neck. It sounds warmer and is easier to reach.