Bb Major Guitar Chord (Bb)
The Bb Major chord (Bb) is built from the notes Bb, D, and F: the R, 3, 5 of Bb. Below are the five ways to play Bb on guitar, laid out in order from the lowest position on the neck to the highest.
A major chord is bright and resolved, the backbone of most songs. The lowest shape starts around fret 1, and Bb appears in four more positions higher up the neck.
Notes in Bb
How to play Bb: 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 major chord in other keys
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the Bb Major chord?
- The Bb Major chord (Bb) contains the notes Bb, D, and F. Those are the R, 3, 5 of Bb, so the chord is Bb (the root), D (the third), and F (the fifth).
- How do you play Bb on guitar?
- There are five ways to play Bb, one for each CAGED shape. The lowest shape starts around fret 1, and Bb 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 Bb chord sound like?
- A major chord is bright and resolved, the backbone of most songs. You can hear Bb and any progression built from it in the free interactive tools on this site.
- Is Bb a hard chord to play?
- Bb 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.