Also written B♭, B♭maj or B♭M
B♭ major contains the notes B♭, D, and F. This intermediate shape requires a wide stretch, but the root on the 6th fret keeps the hand in a comfortable mid-neck position.
The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.
B♭ major is built from the formula 1, 3, 5: root B♭, major third D, and perfect fifth F. The major third, four semitones above the root, gives the chord its bright, stable quality. Lower that third by one semitone to D♭ and you get B♭ minor, the parallel minor with a darker sound.
B♭ major appears as the I chord in the I–IV–V–I progression B♭–E♭–F–B♭ in B♭ major. It also works as the IV chord in F major and the V chord in E♭ major. Use B♭ major for horn-friendly keys in jazz, funk, and R&B bass lines.
The 6th fret voicing puts the root B♭ in the bass, giving a solid, grounded sound. For a lighter feel, use the B♭/D inversion, which places the third in the bass and adds forward motion. The B♭/F inversion with the fifth in the bass works well when you want a less assertive low end.
B♭ major is played at the 6th fret as 6 8 8 7: index finger on the E string at fret 6, ring finger on the A string at fret 8, pinky finger on the D string at fret 8 and middle finger on the G string at fret 7.
Tip — The stretch from the index finger on the 6th fret to the pinky on the 8th fret requires wide finger independence.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 8 | 3 | F (5) |
| 2 (D) | 8 | 4 | B♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 7 | 2 | D (3) |
B♭ major is played at the 8th fret as 10 8 8 10: ring finger on the E string at fret 10, index finger on the A string at fret 8, middle finger on the D string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 10.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 10 | 3 | D (3) |
| 3 (A) | 8 | 1 | F (5) |
| 2 (D) | 8 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 10 | 4 | F (5) |
B♭ major is played in open position as 1 1 0 3: 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 3. The D string rings open.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
| 3 (A) | 1 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | open | — | D (3) |
| 1 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
B♭ major is written as B♭, B♭maj, or B♭M. The ASCII root is Bb, so you may see Bb major. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
B♭ major has a major third (D), while B♭ minor has a minor third (D♭). This single note changes the chord from bright to dark. The fifth, F, is the same in both chords.
Yes, the B♭/F inversion at the 1st fret on the 4th and 3rd strings and open 2nd string omits the high G string. This voicing sits lower and works well when the bass needs to stay out of the guitar's range.