B♭ guitar chord
The B♭ major 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♭
- Notes
- B♭ – D – F
- Formula
- 1 – 3 – 5
- Name
- B♭ major
B♭B♭ · D · F
4 ways to play it · Tuning E A D G B E
- Open
- G shape · 3rd fret
- E shape · 6th fret
- D shape · 8th fret
What to play over B♭
Start with the chord's own notes — B♭, D, F — 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♭ major pentatonic scale
The safe start: the chord’s own three notes plus the 2 and the 6, nothing that clashes.
- B♭ major scale
The full major scale, when the chord is the song’s home chord (I).
- B♭ Lydian mode
A brighter, floating sound with the ♯4 — when the chord is a IV.
- B♭ Mixolydian mode
The ♭7 gives it a bluesy, rock edge — when the chord is a V.
Questions
What notes are in a B♭ chord?
B♭ has 3 notes: B♭, D, F. Counted from the root, its formula is 1 – 3 – 5.
What scale goes with B♭?
B♭ major pentatonic scale is the place to start. The safe start: the chord’s own three notes plus the 2 and the 6, nothing that clashes.