Explore chords · Guitar
B♭ 6th chord on guitar (B♭6)
Also called or written B♭6 or B♭
B♭ 6th contains B♭, D, F and G. The open shape uses three fretted notes and two open strings, so the left hand stretches across four frets.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 6
- Root positionB♭–D–F–GB♭6×-1-0-0-3-1
- First inversionD–F–G–B♭B♭6/D×-5-3-3-3-3
- Second inversionF–G–B♭–DB♭6/F1-1-0-0-3-1
- Third inversionG–B♭–D–FB♭6/G3-5-3-3-3-3
How do you play a B♭ 6th chord on guitar?
B♭ 6th is played in open position as × 1 0 0 3 1: index finger on the A string at fret 1, ring finger on the B string at fret 3 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The D and G strings ring open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (3) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (6) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (3) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (5) |
AdvancedThe open shape requires a four-fret stretch between the index on the 1st fret A string and the ring on the 3rd fret B string while muting the low E.
Open · ×-1-3-0-3-1
B♭ 6th is played in open position as × 1 3 0 3 1: index finger on the A string at fret 1, ring finger on the D string at fret 3, pinky finger on the B string at fret 3 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The G string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 3 | F (5) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (6) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (3) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (5) |
Open · ×-1-3-0-3-3
B♭ 6th is played in open position as × 1 3 0 3 3: index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 3, ring finger on the B string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The G string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 2 | F (5) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (6) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (3) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | G (6) |
5th fret
B♭ 6th is played at the 5th fret as 6 5 5 7 6 ×: barre your index finger across fret 5, middle finger on the low E string at fret 6, pinky finger on the G string at fret 7 and ring finger on the B string at fret 6. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 1 (barre) | D (3) |
| 4 (D) | 5 | 1 (barre) | G (6) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 4 | D (3) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 3 | F (5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
8th fret
B♭ 6th is played at the 8th fret as × × 8 10 8 10: index finger on the D string at fret 8, ring finger on the G string at fret 10, middle finger on the B string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 10. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 3 | F (5) |
| 2 (B) | 8 | 2 | G (6) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 4 | D (3) |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ 6th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 6. The major sixth G added to the B♭ major triad creates a warm, jazzy colour. Compare it with B♭ major, which has only three notes.
What goes wrong with B♭ 6th?
- Letting the low E string ring: mute it with the thumb, or the open E clashes with the chord.
- Flattening the middle finger onto the high e string and deadening it.
- Pressing the ring finger too hard on the B string and pulling it sharp.
When to use it
B♭ 6th is the tonic in B♭ major, heard in the I–IV–V–I progression B♭–E♭–F–B♭. Its open-string resonance suits folk and acoustic strumming. Use it to add colour to a B♭ major chord in a ballad.
Changing to and from B♭ 6th
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 2nd fret gives B 6th; the open D and G strings become fretted notes, so the hand must adjust.
Which voicing to use
The open shape keeps the root B♭ in the bass and is the easiest to play. The 5th fret barre shape offers a fuller sound with the root on the A string, useful for moving between positions.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ 6th written?
The symbol B♭6 is the most common spelling, and the ASCII root is Bb. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Can I play B♭ 6th without muting the low E string?
No, the open low E is not a chord tone, so it must be muted. Otherwise the chord sounds muddy and the bass note is wrong.
What is the difference between B♭ 6th and B♭ major 7th?
B♭ 6th adds the sixth G, while B♭ major 7th adds the seventh A. The sixth gives a more consonant, folk-like sound than the seventh.