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B♭ minor 7th chord on ukulele (B♭m7)
Also called or written B♭m7 or B♭min7
B♭ minor 7th contains B♭, D♭, F, and A♭. This advanced grip stretches the pinky to the 5th fret while the index holds the 3rd.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7
- Root positionB♭–D♭–F–A♭B♭m710-10-9-11
- First inversionD♭–F–A♭–B♭B♭m7/D♭1-1-1-1
- Second inversionF–A♭–B♭–D♭B♭m7/F3-5-4-4
- Third inversionA♭–B♭–D♭–FB♭m7/A♭6-8-6-8
How do you play a B♭ minor 7th chord on ukulele?
B♭ minor 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 5 4 4: index finger on the G string at fret 3, pinky finger on the C string at fret 5, middle finger on the E string at fret 4 and ring finger on the A string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 4 | F (5) |
| 2 (E) | 4 | 2 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 4 | 3 | D♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach the 5th fret on the C string while the index holds the 3rd fret on the G string, creating a wide stretch.
B♭m7/A♭ inversion
B♭ minor 7th is played at the 6th fret as 6 8 6 8: index finger on the G string at fret 6, ring finger on the C string at fret 8, middle 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) | 6 | 1 | D♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 3 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 4 | F (5) |
9th fret
B♭ minor 7th is played at the 9th fret as 10 10 9 11: middle finger on the G string at fret 10, ring finger on the C string at fret 10, index finger on the E string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 2 | F (5) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 9 | 1 | D♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 11 | 4 | A♭ (♭7) |
B♭m7/D♭ inversion
B♭ minor 7th is played at the 1st fret as 1 1 1 1: barre your index finger across fret 1.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 1 | 1 (barre) | D♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ minor 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7. The minor 7th interval between B♭ and A♭ gives the chord its mellow, unresolved quality. Compare it to B♭ minor, which omits the ♭7.
What goes wrong with B♭ minor 7th?
- Letting the pinky collapse and mute the 2nd string.
- Pressing the index too flat and buzzing the 4th string.
When to use it
B♭ minor 7th suits jazz, R&B, and moody pop ballads. It adds color to a B♭ minor or B♭ 5th.
Changing to and from B♭ minor 7th
- Slide the shape down two frets to the 1st fret to play A♭ minor 7th.
- Move to B♭ minor by lifting the pinky and strumming only the top three strings.
Which voicing to use
The 3rd fret voicing puts B♭ in the bass for a grounded sound. The B♭m7/D♭ inversion at the 6th fret places D♭ in the bass, softening the chord. For a brighter top, use the B♭m7/F inversion at the 10th fret.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ minor 7th written?
B♭ minor 7th is written as B♭min7 or B♭m7. The root is B♭, with ASCII spelling Bb. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between B♭ minor 7th and B♭ minor?
B♭ minor 7th adds the ♭7 note A♭ to the B♭ minor triad. This extra note creates a softer, more complex sound. B♭ minor contains only B♭, D♭, and F.
Can I use B♭ minor 7th in a major key?
Yes, B♭ minor 7th is the vi chord in C♯ major. It appears in progressions like I–V–vi–IV. In that role it adds a melancholic color.
Is B♭ minor 7th a barre chord?
The default voicing at the 3rd fret uses individual fingers, not a barre. However, the B♭m7/A♭ inversion at the 1st fret requires a full barre across all strings.