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B♭ minor major 7th chord on ukulele (B♭mMaj7)
Also called or written B♭mMaj7, B♭minmaj7, B♭mmaj7, B♭mM7, B♭ Minor Sharp 7 or B♭ Minor ♯7
B♭ minor major 7th contains B♭, D♭, F, and A. The open voicing uses one open string and three fretted notes, keeping the hand compact.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7
How do you play a B♭ minor major 7th chord on ukulele?
B♭ minor major 7th is played in open position as 3 1 1 0: ring finger on the G string at fret 3, index finger on the C string at fret 1 and middle finger on the E string at fret 1. The A string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 1 | 1 | D♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 2 | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | open | — | A (7) |
AdvancedThe open A string must ring clearly while the other fingers fret nearby, requiring precise hand position.
B♭minmaj7/F inversion
B♭ minor major 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 5 5 4: index finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the C string at fret 5, pinky finger on the E string at fret 5 and middle 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 | 3 | F (5) |
| 2 (E) | 5 | 4 | A (7) |
| 1 (A) | 4 | 2 | D♭ (♭3) |
B♭minmaj7/D♭ inversion · B♭ on top
B♭ minor major 7th is played at the 1st fret as 2 1 1 1: barre your index finger across fret 1 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 4 | 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 major 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7. The major 7th interval between B♭ and A gives the chord its characteristic bite. Compare it to B♭ minor, which omits the A and sounds more stable.
What goes wrong with B♭ minor major 7th?
- Muting the open A string with the palm or the base of the index finger.
- Pressing the C string too hard, causing it to go sharp.
When to use it
B♭ minor major 7th appears in B♭ minor progressions, often as a passing chord between B♭ minor and B♭ minor 7th. It fits jazz waltzes and neo-soul. Use it before B♭ minor or B♭ 5th.
Changing to and from B♭ minor major 7th
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 3rd fret gives B minor major 7th.
- From B♭ minor major 7th, lift the ring finger to move to B♭ minor.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps B♭ in the bass for a clear root. The B♭minmaj7/A inversion puts A in the bass, creating a leading-tone pull toward B♭ minor.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ minor major 7th written?
B♭ minor major 7th is written B♭mmaj7, B♭minmaj7, or B♭mM7. The ASCII root spelling is Bb. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What changes when the chord is played at the 3rd fret?
The 3rd fret voicing raises the pitch but keeps the same intervals. It is useful when the open position is too dark for the arrangement.
How does B♭ minor major 7th differ from B♭ minor 7th?
B♭ minor major 7th has a major 7th (A), while B♭ minor 7th has a minor 7th (A♭). The major 7th adds a sharper, more dissonant edge.