B♭m7 guitar chord
The B♭ minor 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♭m7
- Notes
- B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭
- Formula
- 1 – b3 – 5 – b7
- Name
- B♭ minor 7th
B♭m7B♭ · D♭ · F · A♭
3 ways to play it · Tuning E A D G B E
- A shape · 1st fret
- E shape · 6th fret
- D shape · 8th fret
What to play over B♭m7
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♭ Dorian mode
The usual choice over m7, especially a ii7 in a ii–V–I.
- B♭ minor pentatonic scale
The safe start — it holds all four notes of the chord.
- B♭ natural minor scale
The natural minor, when the chord is the home chord (i7).
Questions
What notes are in a B♭m7 chord?
B♭m7 has 4 notes: B♭, D♭, F, A♭. Counted from the root, its formula is 1 – b3 – 5 – b7.
What scale goes with B♭m7?
B♭ Dorian mode is the place to start. The usual choice over m7, especially a ii7 in a ii–V–I.