B♭maj7
Character: dreamy
- B♭Rtriad
- D3triad
- F5triad
- A7add
15 ways to play B♭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
Frets 1 1 0 2 x xNotes F B♭ D AIntervals 5 1 3 7Base triadB♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 12 12 10 11 xNotes A D F B♭Intervals 7 3 5 1Base triadB♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x 12 14 11 xNotes D A B♭Intervals 3 7 1Base triadB♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets x 1 3 3 3 5Notes F B♭ D AIntervals 5 1 3 7Base triadB♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x x 3 3 5Notes B♭ D AIntervals 1 3 7Base triadB♭ major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets x 0 3 3 3 xNotes A F B♭ DIntervals 7 5 1 3Base triadB♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 1 3 2 3 1Notes B♭ F A DIntervals 1 5 7 3Base triadB♭ major, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.
Frets 6 5 7 3 3 6Notes D A B♭Intervals 3 7 1Base triadB♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 5 5 3 3 x xNotes A D F B♭Intervals 7 3 5 1Base triadB♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 6 5 7 7 6 6Notes B♭ D AIntervals 1 3 7Base triadB♭ major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 6 8 8 7 6 5Notes B♭ D F AIntervals 1 3 5 7Base triadB♭ major, root position
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x 7 7 6 6Notes A D F B♭Intervals 7 3 5 1Base triadB♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 6 x 8 7 10 xNotes B♭ D AIntervals 1 3 7Base triadB♭ major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 6 8 7 7 x xNotes B♭ F A DIntervals 1 5 7 3Base triadB♭ major, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.
Frets x x 8 10 10 10Notes B♭ F A DIntervals 1 5 7 3Base triadB♭ major, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.
The construction rules B♭maj7 follows
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.
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.
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.
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.
Major 7th in every key
More chords on B♭
B♭maj7 chord questions
What notes are in B♭maj7?
B♭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♭maj7?
1 3 5 7. It is a B♭ major triad with the 7th stacked on top.
How many ways can you play B♭maj7 on guitar?
This page shows 15 voicings of B♭maj7, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.