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B minor 7 chord

B minor 7 Minor 7 family

Mellow and smooth, minor without the heartbreak.

Easiest shape1 of 4

Square: the root. In colour: the flat 7th, which gives the chord its sound.

Change a finger and see what it becomes

Built from

Broot
Dminor 3rd
F♯5th
Aflat 7th

The flat 7th softens the minor 3rd, so the sadness turns into something relaxed.

Tension: Gentle

Hear it in a progression

Epic minor
Film scores and stadium anthems. In B minor.
Capo and transpose
1. Bm7i
2. GVI
3. DIII
4. AVII
Minor cadence
Dark, then a strong pull home. In B minor.
Capo and transpose
Andalusian cadence
Flamenco and surf rock, stepping down. In B minor.
Capo and transpose
1. Bm7i
2. AVII
3. GVI
4. F♯V

Where it goes next

Thinking in B minor, where it is the i7 chord.

Gmaj7
VImaj7. Opens up into something bittersweet.
Em7
iv7. Goes darker still.
A7
VII7. Steps down: a rock and folk staple.
Dmaj7
IIImaj7. Brightens into the relative major.

Sounds close

Dmaj7
Relative major 7: same notes but one. Both have D, F♯ and A.
D
Contains its relative major whole. Both have D, F♯ and A.
D7
Shares 3 of its notes. Both have D, F♯ and A.
Gmaj7
Shares 3 of its notes. Both have B, D and F♯.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

Keys it lives in