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E A D G B E
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Chords in Bb major

Bb major is built from the notes Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G and A. Its scale carries 2 flats. Harmonising that scale in thirds gives seven chords — 3 majors, 3 minors and 1 diminished — starting on Bb as the I. The chord on the fifth degree is F, a major V, so Bb major has the leading tone that makes a F-to-Bb cadence sound final.

Beyond those seven, Bb major commonly borrows Bbm (i), Cdim (iiø), Db (bIII), Ebm (iv) and Fm (v) from the parallel minor — the mixture chords that give a progression somewhere unexpected to go.

The seven chords

IBb
Bb major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 1, open, fret 3, fret 3, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo.
x10331iiCm
C minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 3, fret 1, open, fret 1, fret 3. Frets are relative to the capo.
x31013iiiDm
D minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, muted, open, fret 2, fret 3, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo.
xx0231IVEb
Eb major, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 6, fret 5, open, fret 4, fret 6. Frets are relative to the capo.4fr
x65046VF
F major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 1, fret 3, fret 3, fret 2, fret 1, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 1, strings 1 to 6.
133211viGm
G minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 3, fret 1, open, open, fret 3, fret 3. Frets are relative to the capo.
310033viiøAdim
A diminished, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, open, fret 1, fret 2, fret 1, muted. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 1, strings 3 to 5.
x0121x

Extended to four notes each, the same seven degrees give Bbmaj7, Cm7, Dm7, Ebmaj7, F7, Gm7, Am7b5.

Borrowed chords

iBbm
Bb minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 1, fret 3, fret 3, fret 2, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 1, strings 2 to 6.
x13321iiøCdim
C diminished, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 3, fret 4, fret 5, fret 4, muted. Frets are relative to the capo.
x3454xbIIIDb
Db major, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 4, fret 6, fret 6, fret 6, fret 4. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 4, strings 2 to 6.4fr
x46664ivEbm
Eb minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, muted, fret 1, fret 3, fret 4, fret 2. Frets are relative to the capo.
xx1342vFm
F minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 1, fret 3, fret 3, fret 1, fret 1, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 1, strings 1 to 6.
133111bVIGb
Gb major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 2, fret 4, fret 4, fret 3, fret 2, fret 2. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 2, strings 1 to 6.
244322bVIIAb
Ab major, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 4, fret 6, fret 6, fret 5, fret 4, fret 4. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 4, strings 1 to 6.4fr
466544
Capo

Capo 3 and play G major shapes to sound Bb major.

All eight capo positions for Bb major →

Related keys

Open Bb major in the explorer →