Bb Dominant 7th Guitar Chord (Bb7)
The Bb Dominant 7th chord (Bb7) is built from the notes Bb, D, F, and Ab: the R, 3, 5, b7 of Bb. Below are the five ways to play Bb7 on guitar, laid out in order from the lowest position on the neck to the highest.
A dominant seventh chord is bluesy and restless: it wants to resolve, which is why it drives blues, funk, and the V chord in nearly every key. The lowest shape starts around fret 1, and Bb7 appears in four more positions higher up the neck.
Notes in Bb7
How to play Bb7: five positions
Strings run low E to high e, left to right. Dots are finger positions, a ringed dot is the root (Bb), an × means don't play that string, and the label on the right (like "10fr") is the starting fret. Under each shape are the notes it sounds and their role in the chord.
Hear it and explore other chords →
The free interactive Chord Library lets you switch roots and flavors instantly and see every voicing update live.
Other Bb chords
The dominant 7th chord in other keys
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the Bb Dominant 7th chord?
- The Bb Dominant 7th chord (Bb7) contains the notes Bb, D, F, and Ab. Those are the R, 3, 5, b7 of Bb, so the chord is Bb (the root), D (the third), F (the fifth), and Ab (the flat seventh).
- How do you play Bb7 on guitar?
- There are five ways to play Bb7, one for each CAGED shape. The lowest shape starts around fret 1, and Bb7 appears in four more positions higher up the neck. A nearby voicing often makes an awkward chord change much easier, so if one shape fights you, try the next one up or down the neck.
- What does a Bb7 chord sound like?
- A dominant seventh chord is bluesy and restless: it wants to resolve, which is why it drives blues, funk, and the V chord in nearly every key. You can hear Bb7 and any progression built from it in the free interactive tools on this site.
- Is Bb7 a hard chord to play?
- Bb7 has no open shape in standard tuning, so it is usually played as a barre chord. That takes a little hand strength, but the shape is movable: learn it once and you can slide it to other roots.