B♭ minor chord on guitar (B♭m)

B♭m is B♭, D♭ and F. The usual shape is x-1-3-3-2-1, a barre at the 1st fret. Tap Play, then slow it down.

x-1-3-3-2-1 · barre · hard

Notes: B♭ · D♭ · F
Formula: 1 · ♭3 · 5
First shape: x-1-3-3-2-1

How to play B♭m on guitar

Shape 1, x-1-3-3-2-1, reading from the low E string on the left:

Index finger lies flat over the 5 strings from the A string to the high E string, just behind the 1st fret wire.
D♭: middle finger, 2nd fret of the B string.
F: ring finger, 3rd fret of the D string.
B♭: pinky finger, 3rd fret of the G string.
Strum from the A string down; the low E string stays silent.

First-fret barres feel impossible at first. Practice the same shape at the 5th fret, where it is easier, then walk it down one fret a day.
The pinky takes a note here. Keep it curved and close to the fretboard between chords so it has less distance to travel.

Other ways to play B♭m

x-1-3-3-2-x: movable shape, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.
6-8-8-6-6-6: barre shape at the 6th fret, medium. Built on the Em open shape with the barre as a movable nut; the root is on the 6th string.
x-13-15-15-14-13: barre shape at the 13th fret, medium. This is the open Am shape with a barre behind it, root on the 5th string.

Playing B♭m with a capo

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 1st fret and play the open Am shape (x-0-2-2-1-0) or capo on the 6th fret and play the open Em shape (0-2-2-0-0-0). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

Changing from B♭m to the chords around it

Songs rarely hold B♭m for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

E♭ (V in A♭ major): B♭m (x-1-3-3-2-1) to E♭ (x-x-1-3-4-3): move the index finger to the D string, 1st fret, move the middle finger to the G string, 3rd fret, the ring finger goes to the high E string, 3rd fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. B♭ carries over from one chord to the other. E♭ on guitar
C♯ (IV in A♭ major): B♭m (x-1-3-3-2-1) to C♯ (x-4-6-6-6-4): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 4th fret, your middle finger lands on the D string, 6th fret, the ring finger goes to the G string, 6th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share D♭ and F, which is why the change sounds smooth. C♯ on guitar
A♭ (I in A♭ major): B♭m (x-1-3-3-2-1) to A♭ (4-6-6-5-4-4): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 4th fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 5th fret, move the ring finger to the A string, 6th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. A♭ on guitar

B♭m is a minor triad. A minor chord softens a progression. Try B♭m right after B♭ major to hear how much one note changes. On guitar you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

Practice B♭m in two minutes

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: B♭, F, B♭, D♭, F. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Next, alternate x-1-3-3-2-1 and x-1-3-3-2-x, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

You may also see it as A♯m; nothing changes on the guitar.

Keys and progressions with B♭m

In B♭ minor, i–VI–III–VII on guitar is B♭m (x-1-3-3-2-1), F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2), C♯ (x-4-6-6-6-4) and A♭ (4-6-6-5-4-4). About the minor anthem.

In B♭ minor, i–iv–V on guitar is B♭m (x-1-3-3-2-1), E♭m (x-x-1-3-4-2) and F (1-3-3-2-1-1). About the minor cadence.

In B♭ minor, i–VII–VI–V on guitar is B♭m (x-1-3-3-2-1), A♭ (4-6-6-5-4-4), F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2) and F (1-3-3-2-1-1). About the Andalusian cadence.

B♭m on piano and ukulele

Switching instruments? Try B♭m on ukulele or B♭m on piano, or compare them on the B♭m chord page.

Related B♭ chords on guitar

Other minor chords

B♭m on guitar: questions

What notes are in B♭m on guitar?

B♭, D♭ and F. In the x-1-3-3-2-1 shape the strings play B♭ (A string), F (D string), B♭ (G string), D♭ (B string) and F (high E string), so B♭ and F are doubled.

What's the easiest way to play B♭m on guitar?

B♭m has no open-string shape in standard tuning, so every version needs a barre or a stretch. Start with x-1-3-3-2-x. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and a capo is worth trying when the song allows.

Is B♭m a barre chord on guitar?

Usually, yes. x-1-3-3-2-1 has your index finger across the 1st fret. The barre-free alternative is x-1-3-3-2-x.

Which string does B♭m start on?

In the x-1-3-3-2-1 shape the lowest string you play is the A string at the 1st fret, which is B♭, the root. Skip the low E string.

Every shape above plays only B♭, D♭ and F, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.