B♭m Chord on Guitar
Notes B♭ D♭ F. Start with the 4-string B♭m (x x 3 3 2 1): index on string 1 fret 1, middle on string 2 fret 2, ring on string 4 and pinky on string 3 at fret 3.
Chord · B♭m minor
Easy B♭m (4 strings) · x x 3 3 2 1
movable, no open strings
Am-shape barre (fret 1) · x 1 3 3 2 1
barre, movable
Em-shape barre (fret 6) · 6 8 8 6 6 6
barre, movable
Dm-shape, 4 strings (fret 8) · x x 8 10 11 9
movable, no open strings
1 B♭♭3 D♭5 F
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): muted, do not play
- String 4 (D): ring (3), fret 3
- String 3 (G): pinky (4), fret 3
- String 2 (B): middle (2), fret 2
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 1
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 5 to 1 at fret 1
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): index (1), fret 1
- String 4 (D): ring (3), fret 3
- String 3 (G): pinky (4), fret 3
- String 2 (B): middle (2), fret 2
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 1
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 6 to 1 at fret 6
- String 6 (low E): index (1), fret 6
- String 5 (A): ring (3), fret 8
- String 4 (D): pinky (4), fret 8
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 6
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 6
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 6
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): muted, do not play
- String 4 (D): index (1), fret 8
- String 3 (G): ring (3), fret 10
- String 2 (B): pinky (4), fret 11
- String 1 (high e): middle (2), fret 9
Notes and formula
| Degree | Note | Interval from B♭ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B♭ | root |
| ♭3 | D♭ | minor 3rd |
| 5 | F | perfect 5th |
Formula 1 ♭3 5 (minor). Same chord as A♯m: same pitches, same shapes.
Also written Bbm, Bbmin, B flat minor, A♯m, A sharp minor.
More on this chord type: Barre chords
Capo shapes that sound as B♭m
Open shapes you may already know, moved up with a capo.
Am shape + capo 1
Em shape + capo 6
Need the capo fret for a whole song? Capo calculator: any song key, any shapes. New to the capo? How to use a capo.
Progressions with B♭m
| Key · progression | Chords | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| B♭ minor i–VI–III–VII | B♭m – G♭ – D♭ – A♭ | |
| B♭ minor i–iv–v–i | B♭m – E♭m – Fm – B♭m | |
| D♭ major I–V–vi–IV | D♭ – A♭ – B♭m – G♭ | |
| D♭ major I–vi–IV–V | D♭ – B♭m – G♭ – A♭ | |
| A♭ major ii–V–I | B♭m – E♭ – A♭ |
Keys that contain B♭m
| Key | B♭m is the |
|---|---|
| B♭ minor | i |
| E♭ minor | v |
| F minor | iv |
| D♭ major | vi |
| A♭ major | ii |
| F♯ major (written A♯m) | iii |
Minor keys here use the natural minor scale.
Playing B♭m: what goes wrong
B♭m in A♭, D♭ and G♭
B♭m is the ii chord of A♭ major, the vi of D♭ major and the iii of G♭ major (a chart in F♯ major writes it A♯m). In B♭ minor it is the i chord, with E♭m as iv and Fm as v.
The Am shape at fret 1
In x 1 3 3 2 1 the index barres strings 5 to 1 at fret 1 and the other three fingers form the open Am shape. Only string 6 is left out, so the barre sits right at the nut and needs little pressure.
Capo 1 and an Am shape
With a capo on fret 1 the open Am shape sounds as B♭m. That only works if the other chords of the song are also played as shapes relative to the capo.
Related chords
Learn and practise B♭m
- Metronomepractise the change to B♭m at 60 BPM
- How to read chord chartsstrings, frets, fingers, x and o
- Chord finder (chord namer)name any other shape you find
FAQ
What notes are in B♭m?
B♭, D♭, F: the 1, ♭3, 5 of the B♭m minor chord. A♯m is the same chord spelt with a sharp.
What is the easiest B♭m chord?
x x 3 3 2 1: four strings, one finger each, no barre. Strings 6 and 5 are not played.
Is B♭m the same as A♯m?
Yes, on the guitar. A♯m is the same chord spelled for sharp keys such as F♯ major, so the same fingering and the same sound.