B♭ Major Guitar Chord (B♭)
B♭ is a horn key. Sax and trumpet write in it constantly. Guitarists play it barred. x13331, the A shape at the first fret. Jam with a horn section and this is the grip you'll use all night.
B♭ brings the anchovies.
B♭ chord shapes in standard tuning
How to play it
Lay your index finger flat across the top 5 strings (from the A (5th) string up) at fret 1. That barre is the backbone of this B♭ shape. Then add your middle finger on the D (4th) string at fret 3, your ring finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 3, and your pinky finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 3. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum. Start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.
Notes in this chord
| Symbol | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| R | root | B♭ |
| 3 | major third | D |
| 5 | perfect fifth | F |
Keep exploring
Other tunings
Open the interactive chord charts to see B♭ in open G, drop D, DADGAD, and more tunings.
More B♭ chords
- B♭ minor (B♭m)
- B♭ dominant 7th (B♭7)
- B♭ minor 7th (B♭m7)
- B♭ major 7th (B♭maj7)
- B♭ suspended 4th (B♭sus4)
Nearby major chords
B♭ FAQ
What notes are in B♭?
B♭ contains B♭, D, and F. That's the root (B♭), the major third, and the perfect fifth.
Is B♭ a barre chord?
The most common B♭ shape (x-1-3-3-3-1) is a barre chord. Your index finger bars fret 1 across 5 strings. There is no standard open-position shape for this chord in standard tuning, but the diagrams above include every practical alternative up the neck.
What is the easiest way to play B♭ on guitar?
Start with the barre · 1fr shape x-1-3-3-3-1. Lay your index finger flat across the top 5 strings (from the A (5th) string up) at fret 1. That barre is the backbone of this B♭ shape. Then add your middle finger on the D (4th) string at fret 3, your ring finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 3, and your pinky finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 3. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum. Start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.