B♭7 guitar chord
The B♭ dominant 7th chord: every way to play it on the neck, the notes in it, and the scales that sound good over it.
What's in B♭7
- Notes
- B♭ – D – F – A♭
- Formula
- 1 – 3 – 5 – b7
- Name
- B♭ dominant 7th
B♭7B♭ · D · F · A♭
4 ways to play it · Tuning E A D G B E
- A shape · 1st fret
- G shape · 3rd fret
- E shape · 6th fret
- D shape · 8th fret
What to play over B♭7
Start with the chord's own notes — B♭, D, F, A♭ — and land on them on the strong beats. Then reach for a scale; which one depends on the chord's job in the song.
- B♭ Mixolydian mode
The dominant chord’s own scale: its four notes plus the 2, 4 and 6.
- B♭ major pentatonic scale
Five notes that sit right on top of the chord.
- B♭ blues scale
For blues: the ♭3 rubbing against the chord’s 3 is the whole point.
- B♭ Phrygian dominant scale
When the chord resolves to a minor chord a fourth up (V7 to i): the ♭9 and ♭13 pull hard.
Questions
What notes are in a B♭7 chord?
B♭7 has 4 notes: B♭, D, F, A♭. Counted from the root, its formula is 1 – 3 – 5 – b7.
What scale goes with B♭7?
B♭ Mixolydian mode is the place to start. The dominant chord’s own scale: its four notes plus the 2, 4 and 6.