Explore chords · Guitar
B♭ chord on guitar (B♭ major)
Also called or written B♭, B♭maj, B♭M or B♭ chord
B♭ major contains the notes B♭, D, and F. The 1st fret barre shape is a common hurdle for intermediate players.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5
- Root positionB♭–D–FB♭×-1-3-3-3-1
- First inversionD–F–B♭B♭/D×-×-0-3-3-1
- Second inversionF–B♭–DB♭/F1-1-0-3-3-×
How do you play a B♭ major chord on guitar?
B♭ major is played at the 1st fret as × 1 3 3 3 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 3, ring finger on the G string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 3. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 2 | F (5) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (3) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
IntermediateThe index barre must fret the A string and high e cleanly while the other fingers stretch to the 3rd fret.
6th fret
B♭ major is played at the 6th fret as 6 8 8 7 6 6: barre your index finger across 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.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 3 | F (5) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 4 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 2 | D (3) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
13th fret
B♭ major is played at the 13th fret as × 13 15 15 15 13: barre your index finger across fret 13, middle finger on the D string at fret 15, ring finger on the G string at fret 15 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 15. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 13 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 15 | 2 | F (5) |
| 3 (G) | 15 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 15 | 4 | D (3) |
| 1 (e) | 13 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
B♭/D inversion · open position — the easy shape, no barre
B♭ major is played in open position as × × 0 3 3 1: middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the B string at fret 3 and index finger on the high e string at fret 1. The D string rings open. 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) | open | — | D (3) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (3) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
B♭/D inversion · fret 3
B♭ major is played at the 3rd fret as × 5 3 3 3 ×: barre your index finger across fret 3 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 5. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 4 | D (3) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 1 (barre) | D (3) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ major is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, with the major third D giving it its bright quality. Compare it to B♭ minor, which lowers the third to D♭.
What goes wrong with B♭ major?
- Letting the low E string sound through, which is outside the chord.
- Not pressing the barre hard enough, causing the high e to buzz.
When to use it
B♭ major is the tonic in B♭ major, so it anchors progressions like B♭–E♭–F, the I–IV–V. It also appears in E♭ major and F major keys. Use it for jazz, pop, and rock.
Changing to and from B♭ major
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 2nd fret gives B major.
- From B♭ major to F major, move the barre to the 1st fret and adjust the other fingers to the F shape.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret barre shape is the standard, but the B♭/D inversion with D in the bass offers an easier grip. The 6th fret barre shape gives a higher voicing.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ major written?
B♭ major is written as B♭, B♭maj, or B♭M. On a keyboard, use the ASCII root Bb. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between B♭ major and B♭ minor?
B♭ major has a major third (D), while B♭ minor has a minor third (D♭). This changes the chord from bright to somber.
Why is the low E string muted in the 1st fret B♭ major shape?
The low E is not a chord tone, so it must be muted to avoid a dissonant sound.