B-flat major chord (Bb)
The B♭ major chord (B♭) is a major triad made of B♭, D and F: root, major third and perfect fifth.
It is the I in B♭ major and the IV in F major; its relative minor is G minor, and F dominant seventh leads into it as its V7.
Below: voicings, notes on the fretboard, ukulele, piano, inversions and progressions.
How to play B♭ major on guitar
There are 2 guitar voicings.
Frets from the 6th string to the 1st: x = not played, 0 = open string.
- Voicing 1: x-1-3-3-3-1, barre at fret 1, with B♭ in the bass (fingers x-1-3-3-3-1).
- Voicing 2: 6-8-8-7-6-6, barre at fret 6, with B♭ in the bass (fingers 1-3-4-2-1-1).
Notes of the B♭ major chord on the fretboard
B♭ major has 3 notes: B♭, D and F. This is where they fall on each string, from the nut to the 12th fret (fret number in parentheses):
- String 6 (E): F (1) · B♭ (6) · D (10)
- String 5 (A): B♭ (1) · D (5) · F (8)
- String 4 (D): D (0) · F (3) · B♭ (8) · D (12)
- String 3 (G): B♭ (3) · D (7) · F (10)
- String 2 (B): D (3) · F (6) · B♭ (11)
- String 1 (E): F (1) · B♭ (6) · D (10)
Formula and intervals of B♭ major
Its formula is 1-3-5; in semitones from the root, 0-4-7.
- B♭: Root, the note that gives the chord its name
- D: Major third (M3), 4 semitones above B♭
- F: Perfect fifth (P5), 7 semitones above B♭
B♭ major on ukulele
- Ukulele (G C E A): 3-2-1-1, barre at fret 1; it sounds B♭, D, F and B♭.
B♭ major on piano
- Keys: B♭4, D5 and F5.
Inversions of B♭ major
Each inversion puts a different note in the bass.
- Root position: B♭, D and F, with B♭ in the bass.
- First inversion (B♭/D): D, F and B♭, with D in the bass.
- Second inversion (B♭/F): F, B♭ and D, with F in the bass.
Keys that use B♭ major
B♭ major appears in 7 major and minor keys.
| Key | Degree | Function |
|---|---|---|
| B♭ major (2 flats) | I | Tonic |
| F major (1 flat) | IV | Subdominant |
| E♭ major (3 flats) | V | Dominant |
| G minor (2 flats) | III | Mediant |
| D minor (1 flat) | VI | Submediant |
| C minor (3 flats) | VII | Subtonic |
| E♭ minor (harmonic minor, 6 flats) | V | Dominant |
Progressions with B♭ major
- Pop progression in B♭ major (I–V–vi–IV): B♭ – F – Gm – E♭
- Pop progression starting on vi in B♭ major (vi–IV–I–V): Gm – E♭ – B♭ – F
- Three-chord progression in B♭ major (I–IV–V): B♭ – E♭ – F
- Turnaround in B♭ major (I–vi–ii–V): B♭ – Gm – Cm – F
- Minor pop progression in D minor (i–VI–III–VII): Dm – B♭ – F – C
B♭ major or A♯ major?
B♭ major (B♭) and A♯ major (A♯) are the same chord with two names: they sound the same and use the same frets.
The spelling depends on the key: it is written B♭ major in flat keys and A♯ major in sharp keys.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the B♭ major chord?
B♭, D and F: root, major third and perfect fifth. Its formula is 1-3-5.
Which keys use B♭ major?
Mainly as the I in B♭ major and the IV in F major. In total it appears in 7 major and minor keys.
Is A♯ major the same chord as B♭ major?
Yes: A♯ major and B♭ major sound the same and are played the same way. It is written B♭ major in flat keys and A♯ major in sharp keys.
What is the relative minor of B♭ major?
G minor. B♭ major and G minor are the tonic chords of two relative keys, which share the same key signature and the same scale notes.