Chords › B♭ major
B Flat Major Chord on Guitar
- B♭
- B♭ · D · F
- Barre at fret 1
- Also written A♯
A-shape barre
Easy, four strings. Play only the top four strings. It has all three notes of the chord and no full barre.
B flat major, written B♭, is a major chord: the root, the major third and the fifth. B♭ has no open shape, so it is usually played as an A-shape barre chord at the 1st fret, and there is an easier four-string version for beginners.
How to play B♭, finger by finger
- Lay your index finger flat across strings 5 to 1 at the 1st fret.
- Put your middle finger on string 4 at the 3rd fret.
- Put your ring finger on string 3 at the 3rd fret.
- Put your pinky finger on string 2 at the 3rd fret.
- Strum from string 5 down to string 1, and don't play string 6.
Easy B♭ for beginners
Play only the top four strings. It has all three notes of the chord and no full barre.
More ways to play B♭
Notes in B♭ major
| Note | Interval | Role |
|---|---|---|
| B♭ | 1 | root |
| D | 3 | major third |
| F | 5 | fifth |
Formula: 1 – 3 – 5
Questions about B♭
What notes are in B♭?
B♭, D and F. Those are the 1, 3, 5 of the chord, counted from B♭.
What is the easiest way to play B♭?
Play the four-string version on the top strings, frets 3, 3, 3, 1 from the 4th string to the 1st. Move to the full barre at the 1st fret when your index finger is ready.
Is B♭ the same as A♯?
Yes, on guitar they are played the same way and sound the same. B flat and A sharp are two names for one note: songs in sharp keys write A♯, songs in flat keys write B♭.
Related chords
Often played with B♭
Other major chords