B-flat minor chord (Bbm)
The B♭ minor chord (B♭m) is a minor triad made of B♭, D♭ and F: root, minor third and perfect fifth.
It is the i in B♭ minor and the vi in D♭ major; its relative major is D♭ major, 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♭ minor on guitar
There are 2 guitar voicings.
Frets from the 6th string to the 1st: x = not played, 0 = open string.
- Voicing 1: x-1-3-3-2-1, barre at fret 1, with B♭ in the bass (fingers x-1-3-4-2-1).
- Voicing 2: 6-8-8-6-6-6, barre at fret 6, with B♭ in the bass (fingers 1-3-4-1-1-1).
Notes of the B♭ minor chord on the fretboard
B♭ minor 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♭ (9)
- String 5 (A): B♭ (1) · D♭ (4) · F (8)
- String 4 (D): F (3) · B♭ (8) · D♭ (11)
- String 3 (G): B♭ (3) · D♭ (6) · F (10)
- String 2 (B): D♭ (2) · F (6) · B♭ (11)
- String 1 (E): F (1) · B♭ (6) · D♭ (9)
Formula and intervals of B♭ minor
Its formula is 1-♭3-5; in semitones from the root, 0-3-7.
- B♭: Root, the note that gives the chord its name
- D♭: Minor third (m3), 3 semitones above B♭
- F: Perfect fifth (P5), 7 semitones above B♭
B♭ minor on ukulele
- Ukulele (G C E A): 3-1-1-1, barre at fret 1; it sounds B♭, D♭, F and B♭.
B♭ minor on piano
- Keys: B♭4, D♭5 and F5.
Inversions of B♭ minor
Each inversion puts a different note in the bass.
- Root position: B♭, D♭ and F, with B♭ in the bass.
- First inversion (B♭m/D♭): D♭, F and B♭, with D♭ in the bass.
- Second inversion (B♭m/F): F, B♭ and D♭, with F in the bass.
Keys that use B♭ minor
B♭ minor appears in 6 major and minor keys.
| Key | Degree | Function |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ major (4 flats) | ii | Supertonic |
| G♭ major (6 flats) | iii | Mediant |
| D♭ major (5 flats) | vi | Submediant |
| B♭ minor (5 flats) | i | Tonic |
| F minor (4 flats) | iv | Subdominant |
| E♭ minor (6 flats) | v | Dominant |
Progressions with B♭ minor
- Pop progression in D♭ major (I–V–vi–IV): D♭ – A♭ – B♭m – G♭
- Pop progression starting on vi in D♭ major (vi–IV–I–V): B♭m – G♭ – D♭ – A♭
- Turnaround in D♭ major (I–vi–ii–V): D♭ – B♭m – E♭m – A♭
- Minor cadence in B♭ minor (i–iv–V7): B♭m – E♭m – F7
- Minor pop progression in B♭ minor (i–VI–III–VII): B♭m – G♭ – D♭ – A♭
B♭ minor or A♯ minor?
B♭ minor (B♭m) and A♯ minor (A♯m) 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♭ minor in flat keys and A♯ minor in sharp keys.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the B♭ minor chord?
B♭, D♭ and F: root, minor third and perfect fifth. Its formula is 1-♭3-5.
Which keys use B♭ minor?
Mainly as the i in B♭ minor and the vi in D♭ major. In total it appears in 6 major and minor keys.
Is A♯ minor the same chord as B♭ minor?
Yes: A♯ minor and B♭ minor sound the same and are played the same way. It is written B♭ minor in flat keys and A♯ minor in sharp keys.
What is the relative major of B♭ minor?
D♭ major. B♭ minor and D♭ major are the tonic chords of two relative keys, which share the same key signature and the same scale notes.