Minor 7th chord · Bb root
Bbm7 chord
- Bb1
- Db♭3
- F5
- Ab♭7
The Bb minor 7th chord (also called the A#m7 chord — same notes, different spelling) is built from the notes Bb, Db, F, Ab. A minor 7th shape you will meet in barre-chord territory.
By Chiye · Updated
What is the Bbm7 chord?
The Bbm7 chord (Bb minor 7th) is a minor 7th chord built from four notes: Bb, Db, F, Ab — the 1–♭3–5–♭7 of the Bb scale, 3 semitones and 7 semitones and 10 semitones above the root. On guitar it is most often played as a movable shape from fret 1 (x-1-3-1-2-1); shift all fretted notes together to transpose it along the neck. It is rated intermediate. The smooth workhorse of funk, R&B and lo-fi. Below you will find step-by-step fingering, 3 positions up the neck, audio of every shape, and the real progressions this chord lives inside.
How do you play the Bbm7 chord on guitar?
Fret 1 barre — a movable shape, so this same fingering works for every root note.
- Lay your index finger flat across the A to high E strings at fret 1, rolled slightly onto its bony edge.
- Press the D string at fret 3 with your ring finger.
- Press the B string at fret 2 with your middle finger.
- Start your strum on the A string and do not play the low E string at all.
Leave out the lowest fretted note (A string) and practise the remaining strings. The bass changes, and the upper strings may still need a smaller barre; check that the third and other colour tones stay clear. x-x-3-1-2-1
How do you make Bbm7 sound clean?
Bbm7 is Am7’s shape on the 1st fret, the worst barre position on the guitar. Players substitute a three-note grip or simply mute the top string, which drops the fifth (F) off the top of the chord.
Am7 (open) → Bbm7 (1st fret) → Bm7 (2nd): the same A-shape minor seventh walked up one fret at a time. Start from the open chord so your ear has a reference.
In real songs
Bbm7 in songs
None of the 104 songs charted on this site use Bbm7 yet — it is a colour chord rather than a songwriting staple.
What other ways can you play Bbm7 up the neck?
2 more positions below. A chord is a set of notes, not a shape — every position below sounds like Bbm7, and each one puts your hand somewhere different, which is what makes them useful in different songs.
Position 2 · Fret 6 barre
Because nothing rings open, you can move this whole shape to any fret and it keeps the same quality — only the letter name changes.
A single bar covers the rest of the strings here. If the inside strings stay dead, move the bar a millimetre closer to the fret wire before you try pressing harder.
Position 3 · Fret 8 barre
Every note here is fretted, which means the shape transposes anywhere on the neck without changing your fingers.
The barre is the only hard part of this shape. Keep the bar finger straight and use the weight of your arm rather than the grip of your thumb.
The theory behind Bbm7
Bbm7 is spelled Bb – Db – F – Ab — the 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7 of the Bb scale, which is the root plus 3 semitones, 7 semitones, 10 semitones. The smooth workhorse of funk, R&B and lo-fi.
The flat seventh softens the minor third, which is why m7 chords sit comfortably under a vocal. In practice you will use Bbm7 far more often than the plain minor triad in anything funky or jazzy.
Bbm7 on other instruments
Bb – Db – F – Ab — the highlighted black keys are the sharps or flats; play each note once, then move them into one hand position.
Take it to the practice room
