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Guitar chords · Minor major 7th

B♭m(maj7) chord on guitar (Bbm(maj7))

B♭m(maj7) (B♭ minor major 7th) has four notes: B♭, D♭, F and A, the , ♭3, 5 and 7.

Shapes

How to play B♭m(maj7)

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

B♭m(maj7) has no common . Play it as the A shape at 1 or the E shape at fret 6. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 1

    ×R57♭35B♭FAD♭F
  • E shape · fret 6

    6frR57♭35RB♭FAD♭FB♭
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes B♭m(maj7) minor major 7th

A minor major puts a major 7th on a minor . The 5th between its ♭3rd and its 7th makes it dark and tense, the sound of spy themes and of the falling line Am, Am(maj7), Am7, Am6.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd and the 7th make B♭m(maj7) a minor major ; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. B♭Rroot
  2. D♭♭3essential
  3. F5optional
  4. A7essential
EADGBE0135791215B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭FAD♭FAD♭FAFAD♭FAD♭FAD♭FAD♭FAD♭F
  • B♭, the root
  • Other chord tones

B♭m(maj7) usually sits in a falling line from B♭m: B♭m, B♭m(maj7), B♭m7, B♭m6, as one voice steps down a at a time.

B♭m(maj7) and A♯m(maj7) are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with B♭m(maj7)

B♭m(maj7) belongs to one key: B♭ minor (i(maj7), ).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

B♭m(maj7) over another bass note

A keeps B♭m(maj7) on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • B♭m(maj7)/D♭

    B♭m(maj7) with its ♭3rd, D♭, in the bass: the first inversion.

  • B♭m(maj7)/F

    B♭m(maj7) with its 5th, F, in the bass: the second inversion.

  • B♭m(maj7)/A

    B♭m(maj7) with its 7th, A, in the bass: the third inversion.

Questions

B♭m(maj7), in short

What notes are in the B♭m(maj7) chord?
B♭m(maj7) (B♭ minor major 7th) has four notes: B♭, D♭, F and A, the , ♭3, 5 and 7.
How do you play B♭m(maj7) on guitar?
B♭m(maj7) has no common . Play it as the A shape at 1 or the E shape at fret 6.
What key is B♭m(maj7) in?
B♭m(maj7) belongs to one key: B♭ minor (i(maj7), ).
Is B♭m(maj7) the same as A♯m(maj7)?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. B♭m(maj7) is the spelling in B♭ minor; A♯m(maj7) in A♯ minor, which most players write as B♭ minor.
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