Guitar chord · Intermediate (barre)
B flat major chord (B♭) — guitar chord chart
B♭ is a major chord built on B♭. Its notes are B♭, D, F. Major chords sound bright, stable and resolved — the home base of most pop, rock and folk songs. It’s also written A♯.
B♭ chord charts
Numbers = fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little). ○ open string, × don’t play. Low E string on the left.
How to play B♭
- Lay your index finger flat across fret 1, from the 5th string to the 1st string (the barre).
- Ring (3) on the 4th string, fret 3 (F).
- Ring (3) on the 3rd string, fret 3 (B♭).
- Ring (3) on the 2nd string, fret 3 (D).
- Strum from the 5th string down; don’t play string 6.
- Pick the strings one at a time: each note should ring clearly — if one buzzes, move that finger closer to the fret.
No barre yet? Put a capo on fret 1 and play the open A shape — it sounds as B♭. Work out other positions with the capo calculator.
Notes in B♭
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B♭ | root |
| 3 | D | major 3rd |
| 5 | F | perfect 5th |
Progressions with B♭
Drill these changes with the chord-change trainer and read how to change chords faster.
FAQ
- What notes are in the B♭ chord?
- B♭ (B flat major) has 3 notes: B♭, D, F.
- Is B♭ hard to play?
- It’s a barre chord, but with a capo on fret 1 you can use the open A shape instead. Expect a few weeks of practice for a clean barre.
- What’s the difference between B♭ and B♭m?
- B♭m is B♭ D♭ F. Major chords sound bright, stable and resolved — the home base of most pop, rock and folk songs.
- Is B♭ the same as A♯?
- Yes — they sound the same (enharmonic equivalents). Which name is used depends on the key of the song; the fingerings are identical.