Also written B♭maj7 or B♭M7
B♭ major 7th is built from B♭, D, F, and A. The 2-2-1-1 grip is a compact barre shape that suits reentrant ukulele tuning.
The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.
B♭ major 7th stacks a major 3rd, perfect 5th, and major 7th over the root. The major 7th interval gives the chord its dreamy, resolved quality. Compare with B♭ major, which stops at the perfect 5th.
B♭ major 7th works as the I chord in B♭ major progressions like I–IV–V–I (B♭–E♭–F–B♭). It also fits the I–V–vi–IV loop (B♭–F–G minor–E♭) for a smooth, jazzy feel. Use it in ballads, neo-soul, or any setting that needs a lush tonic.
The 2-2-1-1 shape puts D in the bass, giving a first-inversion sound that blends well with other mid-register chords. For a root-position B♭ major 7th, use the 10th fret voicing (10-10-10-12) when you need a brighter, higher register.
B♭ major 7th is played at the 1st fret as 2 2 1 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 2 and ring finger on the C string at fret 2.
Tip — The index barre across the E and A strings must stay clean while the middle and ring fingers fret the G and C strings.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (7) |
| 3 (C) | 2 | 3 | D (3) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
B♭ major 7th is played in open position as 3 2 1 0: ring finger on the G string at fret 3, middle finger on the C string at fret 2 and index finger on the E string at fret 1. The A string rings open.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 2 | 2 | D (3) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | open | — | A (7) |
B♭ major 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 5 5 5: index finger on the G string at fret 3, middle finger on the C string at fret 5, ring finger on the E string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 5.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 2 | F (5) |
| 2 (E) | 5 | 3 | A (7) |
| 1 (A) | 5 | 4 | D (3) |
B♭ major 7th is played at the 10th fret as 10 10 10 12: barre your index finger across fret 10 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 12.
| 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) | 12 | 4 | A (7) |
B♭ major 7th is played in open position as 7 5 6 0: ring finger on the G string at fret 7, index finger on the C string at fret 5 and middle finger on the E string at fret 6. The A string rings open.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 7 | 3 | D (3) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 1 | F (5) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | open | — | A (7) |
B♭ major 7th is written B♭M7 or B♭maj7. The ASCII root is Bb, so you may see BbM7 or Bbmaj7. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
The lowest sounding note is D on the C string at fret 2, making it a first inversion. This voicing keeps the chord compact and avoids a muddy low root on the reentrant ukulele.
B♭ major 7th adds the major 7th interval (A) to the B♭ major triad. The extra note creates a softer, more resolved sound than the plain major chord.