Chords in the key of B♭ minor
The key of B♭ minor has five flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭). Its seven chords are B♭m, Cdim, D♭, E♭m, Fm, G♭ and A♭. Tap any of them, or play them in order.
Tap a numeral to hear one chord; tap a shape to open it.
The chords that do most of the work
B♭m is home. E♭m (iv) moves away from it. The natural-minor chord on the fifth degree is Fm (v), which pulls only gently. Using F (V) or F7 (V7) raises the 7th to A, as in harmonic minor, for a stronger return to B♭m. G♭ (VI) and A♭ (VII) give minor keys their big, open rock and film sound.
Key signature
B♭ minor has five flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭) in the key signature. Flat keys add one flat per step counterclockwise around the circle of fifths: B♭ minor sits between F minor and E♭ minor.
The notes of the key are the B♭ natural minor scale: B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭. Relative major: D♭ major (same notes). Parallel major: B♭ major (same starting note).
Progressions in B♭ minor
The progression player below starts in B♭ minor. Change the key to hear the same pattern anywhere; the numerals stay the same.
In B♭ minor, 4 beats per chord. Open in the progression builder
- iB♭m
- VIG♭
- IIID♭
- VIIA♭
| Progression | In B♭ minor | |
|---|---|---|
| i–VI–III–VII the minor anthem | B♭m – G♭ – D♭ – A♭ | |
| i–iv–V the minor cadence | B♭m – E♭m – F – B♭m | |
| i–VII–VI–V the Andalusian cadence | B♭m – A♭ – G♭ – F | |
| i–VII–VI–VII the epic minor loop | B♭m – A♭ – G♭ – A♭ |
Making B♭ minor chords pull harder
A secondary dominant is the dominant seventh chord a fifth above any chord of the key. Play it just before that chord and the arrival sounds stronger, as if the song briefly changed key.
- V7 of III
- V7 of iv
- V7 of v
- V7 of VI
- V7 of VII
Borrowing from B♭ major
Minor-key songs often take chords from B♭ major, the parallel major: E♭ (IV), B♭ (I) and Cm (ii). The major IV gives a brighter, Dorian lift, and ending a minor piece on the major I is the old "Picardy third".
Seventh chords in B♭ minor
The B♭ minor seventh chords: B♭m7, Cm7♭5, D♭maj7, E♭m7, Fm7, G♭maj7 and A♭7. With the borrowed major V it becomes F7.
Playing in B♭ minor on guitar
B♭ minor is awkward in open position, so most guitarists use a capo: capo 1st fret with A minor shapes or capo 6th fret with E minor shapes. Barre chords work too.
Transpose a chord chart · How a capo works
Other keys
Key of B♭ minor: questions
What chords are in the key of B♭ minor?
B♭m, Cdim, D♭, E♭m, Fm, G♭ and A♭. As numerals: i = B♭m, ii° = Cdim, III = D♭, iv = E♭m, v = Fm, VI = G♭, VII = A♭. Most songs in B♭ minor also use F (major V) in place of Fm.
How many sharps or flats are in B♭ minor?
Five flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭).
What is the relative major of B♭ minor?
D♭ major. The two keys share all seven notes.
What are the i, iv and V chords in B♭ minor?
B♭m (i), E♭m (iv) and F (V, borrowed from the harmonic minor). With those three you can accompany most folk and blues tunes in the key.
How do I play in B♭ minor on guitar with a capo?
Capo 1st fret, then play A minor shapes (Am, F, C, G); they sound as B♭m, G♭, D♭, A♭.
Every chord and progression on this page is computed from the B♭ natural minor scale and checked by the site's theory tests. Updated September 2026.