B♭ major chordB♭

Built from

• B♭root
• Dmajor 3rd
• F5th

The major 3rd sits four frets above the root and makes the chord sound open and sure of itself.

Hear it in a progression

• The pop progression

  Behind countless hits. Hopeful, then bittersweet. In B♭ major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. B♭I
  2. FV
  3. Gmvi
  4. E♭IV

• Three-chord song

  Folk, rock and roll, campfire. In B♭ major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. B♭I
  2. E♭IV
  3. FV
  4. B♭I

• Doo-wop

  Fifties ballad, sweet and nostalgic. In B♭ major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. B♭I
  2. Gmvi
  3. E♭IV
  4. FV

Where it goes next

Thinking in B♭ major, where it is the I chord.

• E♭

  IV. Lifts away from home without leaving it.

• F

  V. Builds tension that wants to come back.

• Gm

  vi. Same key, sadder colour: the relative minor.

• Cm

  ii. A gentle step up that sets up the V chord.

Sounds close

• Gm7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have B♭, D and F.

• Dm

  Shares two notes: a softer swap. Both have D and F.

• Gm

  Its relative minor: same key, sadder. Both have B♭ and D.

• Dm7

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have D and F.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• B♭ major
• B♭ major pentatonic
• B♭ mixolydian
• B♭ lydian

Keys it lives in

• B♭ majoras I
• E♭ majoras V
• F majoras IV
• D minoras VI
• G minoras III
• C minoras VII