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B♭m(maj7)

Character: mysterious

  1. B♭Rtriad
  2. D♭♭3triad
  3. F5triad
  4. A7add
Open B♭m(maj7) in the chord libraryDownload the B♭m(maj7) chart (PDF)
Voicings

11 ways to play B♭m(maj7)

Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.

  • Triad note
  • Substitute
  • Added
  • Anchored root
  • Bass
  • Doubling
CC shape 3rd inversion B♭m(maj7)/A
10 11 12 13 R 5 ♭3 7

Frets x 12 11 10 11 xNotes A D♭ F B♭Intervals 7 ♭3 5 1Base triadB♭ minor, 1st inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

CC shape 1st inversion B♭m(maj7)/D♭
10 11 12 13 14 5 R 7 ♭3

Frets x x 11 14 11 xNotes D♭ A B♭Intervals ♭3 7 1Base triadB♭ minor, 1st inversion

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

AA shape Root position B♭m(maj7)
1 2 3 4 5 5 7 ♭3 R

Frets x x x 3 2 5Notes B♭ D♭ AIntervals 1 ♭3 7Base triadB♭ minor, root position

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

AA shape 3rd inversion B♭m(maj7)/A
1 2 3 4 ♭3 R 5 7

Frets x 0 3 3 2 xNotes A F B♭ D♭Intervals 7 5 1 ♭3Base triadB♭ minor, 2nd inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

AA shape 2nd inversion AnchoredB♭m(maj7)
1 2 3 4 R ♭3 7 5 R 5

Frets x 1 3 2 2 1Notes B♭ F A D♭Intervals 1 5 7 ♭3Base triadB♭ minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.

GG shape 3rd inversion B♭m(maj7)/A
3 4 5 6 R 5 ♭3 7

Frets 5 4 3 3 x xNotes A D♭ F B♭Intervals 7 ♭3 5 1Base triadB♭ minor, 1st inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

GG shape Root position B♭m(maj7)
3 4 5 6 7 5 7 ♭3 R R 5 ♭3

Frets 6 4 7 6 6 6Notes B♭ D♭ AIntervals 1 ♭3 7Base triadB♭ minor, root position

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape 3rd inversion B♭m(maj7)/A
6 7 8 9 R 5 ♭3 7

Frets x x 7 6 6 6Notes A D♭ F B♭Intervals 7 ♭3 5 1Base triadB♭ minor, 1st inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

EE shape Root position B♭m(maj7)
6 7 8 9 10 5 7 ♭3 R R 5 R

Frets 6 8 8 6 10 6Notes B♭ D♭ AIntervals 1 ♭3 7Base triadB♭ minor, root position

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape 2nd inversion AnchoredB♭m(maj7)
6 7 8 9 R ♭3 7 5 R R 5

Frets 6 8 7 6 6 6Notes B♭ F A D♭Intervals 1 5 7 ♭3Base triadB♭ minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.

DD shape 2nd inversion AnchoredB♭m(maj7)
8 9 10 11 R ♭3 7 5 R

Frets x x 8 10 10 9Notes B♭ F A D♭Intervals 1 5 7 ♭3Base triadB♭ minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.

The rules

The construction rules B♭m(maj7) follows

  1. Start from a triad

    Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.

  2. A third on top makes a 7th chord

    A major 7th over a major triad is maj7, a ♭7 is a dominant 7. Over minor you get m7 or m(maj7); over diminished, m7♭5 or the °7, whose 7th is lowered twice.

  3. On guitar, something has to give

    Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.

  4. The root can move down

    When an extension needs the root’s string, the root can drop to the string below the triad: an anchored voicing keeps the bass and frees a string on top.

All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.

Minor major 7th in every key

More chords on B♭

B♭m(maj7) chord questions

What notes are in B♭m(maj7)?

B♭m(maj7) is spelled B♭ D♭ F A: B♭ is the root, D♭ is the ♭3rd, F is the 5th, A is the 7th.

What is the formula of B♭m(maj7)?

1 ♭3 5 7. It is a B♭ minor triad with the 7th stacked on top.

How many ways can you play B♭m(maj7) on guitar?

This page shows 11 voicings of B♭m(maj7), filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.