Explore chords · Ukulele
B♭ 7th chord on ukulele (B♭7)
Also called or written B♭7, B♭, B♭ Dominant 7th or B♭ Major Minor 7th
B♭ 7th contains B♭, D, F, and A♭. The 3rd fret shape demands a wide stretch across four frets, so it is not a first chord.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7
- Root positionB♭–D–F–A♭B♭710-10-10-11
- First inversionD–F–A♭–B♭B♭7/D1-2-1-1
- Second inversionF–A♭–B♭–DB♭7/F3-5-4-5
- Third inversionA♭–B♭–D–FB♭7/A♭7-8-6-8
How do you play a B♭ 7th chord on ukulele?
B♭ 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 5 4 5: index finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the C string at fret 5, middle finger on the E string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 3 | F (5) |
| 2 (E) | 4 | 2 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 5 | 4 | D (3) |
AdvancedThe 3rd fret shape requires stretching from the index on the 4th string to the pinky on the 1st string, spanning four frets.
B♭7/A♭ inversion
B♭ 7th is played at the 6th fret as 7 8 6 8: middle finger on the G string at fret 7, ring finger on the C string at fret 8, index finger on the E string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 7 | 2 | D (3) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 3 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 4 | F (5) |
10th fret
B♭ 7th is played at the 10th fret as 10 10 10 11: barre your index finger across fret 10 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 10 | 1 (barre) | D (3) |
| 1 (A) | 11 | 4 | A♭ (♭7) |
B♭7/D inversion
B♭ 7th is played at the 1st fret as 1 2 1 1: index finger on the G string at fret 1, pinky finger on the C string at fret 2, middle finger on the E string at fret 1 and ring finger on the A string at fret 1.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 1 | 1 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 2 | 4 | D (3) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 2 | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ 7th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7 on the root B♭. The ♭7, A♭, gives the chord its dominant quality. Compare it with B♭ major, which lacks the ♭7.
What goes wrong with B♭ 7th?
- Letting the pinky flatten and mute the 1st string.
- Allowing the ring finger to touch the 2nd string, muffling the D.
- Pressing the index too hard so the 4th string buzzes.
When to use it
B♭ 7th is the V chord in E♭ major, resolving to E♭ major in the I–IV–V–I progression E♭–A♭–B♭–E♭. It also appears in the I–V–vi–IV progression E♭–B♭–Cm–A♭. Use B♭ 7th for blues, jazz, and rock progressions.
Changing to and from B♭ 7th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 2nd fret gives A 7th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 4th fret gives B 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 3rd fret shape has B♭ in the bass and is the root position. The B♭7/A♭ inversion at the 1st fret puts A♭ in the bass and is easier to reach. The B♭7/F inversion at the 10th fret has F in the bass and uses a barre.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ 7th written?
B♭ 7th is written as B♭7 or Bb7. The symbols B♭ and B♭7 both refer to this chord. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between B♭ 7th and B♭ major?
B♭ major contains B♭, D, and F. B♭ 7th adds the ♭7, A♭, which creates tension that resolves to E♭ major.
Can I play B♭ 7th with open strings?
No, B♭ 7th has no open-string voicing. The easiest shape is the B♭7/A♭ inversion at the 1st fret.