Explore chords · Ukulele
B♭ augmented major 7th chord on ukulele (B♭augMaj7)
Also called or written B♭augMaj7, B♭augM7, B♭+M7, B♭M7#5, B♭maj+7, B♭ augmented major seventh or B♭ major seventh sharp five
B♭ augmented major 7th contains B♭, D, F♯, and A. The open voicing uses an open A string and is the easiest position for this chord.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♯5, 7
- Root positionB♭–D–F♯–AB♭augMaj711-10-10-12
- First inversionD–F♯–A–B♭B♭augMaj7/D3-2-2-0
- Second inversionF♯–A–B♭–DB♭augMaj7/F♯11-10-10-12
- Third inversionA–B♭–D–F♯B♭augMaj7/A2-2-2-1
How do you play a B♭ augmented major 7th chord on ukulele?
B♭ augmented major 7th is played in open position as 3 2 2 0: ring finger on the G string at fret 3, index finger on the C string at fret 2 and middle finger on the E string at fret 2. The A string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 2 | 1 | D (3) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (♯5) |
| 1 (A) | open | — | A (7) |
AdvancedThe ring finger must fret the 4th string at fret 3 while the index and middle fingers hold fret 2, requiring a small but precise stretch.
10th fret
B♭ augmented major 7th is played at the 10th fret as 11 10 10 12: ring finger on the G string at fret 11, index finger on the C string at fret 10, middle finger on the E string at fret 10 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 11 | 3 | F♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 10 | 2 | D (3) |
| 1 (A) | 12 | 4 | A (7) |
B♭augM7/D inversion · B♭ on top
B♭ augmented major 7th is played at the 1st fret as 2 2 2 1: middle finger on the G string at fret 2, ring finger on the C string at fret 2, pinky finger on the E string at fret 2 and index finger on the A string at fret 1.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (7) |
| 3 (C) | 2 | 3 | D (3) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 4 | F♯ (♯5) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ augmented major 7th is built from 1, 3, ♯5, and 7. The augmented 5th F♯ gives the chord its bright, tense quality. Compared to B♭ major 7th, only the fifth is raised a semitone.
What goes wrong with B♭ augmented major 7th?
- The open A string is accidentally muted by the fretting hand.
- The ring finger does not press hard enough on the 4th string, causing fret 3 to buzz.
When to use it
Use the supplied linked chords to hear its tension without adding unsupported harmony. B♭ augmented major 7th suits jazz and cinematic textures where the raised fifth adds tension. Try B♭ augmented major 7th before B♭ major or B♭ major 7th.
Changing to and from B♭ augmented major 7th
- Slide the shape down two frets to the 1st fret to reach A♭ augmented major 7th.
Which voicing to use
The Open position has B♭ in the bass and is the most stable voicing. The B♭augM7/F♯ inversion places F♯ in the bass for a darker sound, while the B♭augM7/A inversion puts the major 7th in the bass for a more dissonant edge.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ augmented major 7th written?
B♭ augmented major 7th is written B♭+M7, M7#5, maj+7, or B♭augM7. The ASCII root spelling is Bb. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between B♭ augmented major 7th and B♭ major 7th?
B♭ augmented major 7th has a raised fifth, F♯, while B♭ major 7th has F natural. The raised fifth creates a more dissonant, tense sound.
Why does B♭ augmented major 7th have no tritone?
B♭ augmented major 7th contains no tritone because the interval between D and A is a perfect fifth, not a diminished fifth.