akousia
Start here

Bb7 Chord

Bb7 adds A flat to the B flat major triad. That flat seventh makes it useful before a chord whose root lies a fifth below B flat.

  • Notes: B flat-D-F-A flat
  • Symbol: Bb7
  • V7 in Eb major
  • Flat seventh
Switch chordBb7

How to play a Bb7 chord

Notes: Bb - D - F - Ab · symbol Bb7

  • Root position

    Bb - D - F - Ab
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

  • 1st inversion

    D - F - Ab - Bb
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left 5-4-2-1

  • 2nd inversion

    F - Ab - Bb - D
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

  • 3rd inversion

    Ab - Bb - D - F
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

Where does Bb7 belong?

In Eb major, Bb7 acts as V7 and points toward the tonic.
Play the role cards to hear how its surrounding chords change the job it does; Diatonic Chords explains the basic numbered roles.

  • In Eb majorDominant
    V7

    It resolves to Eb: D rises to E flat and A flat falls a half step.

    EbIAbIVBb7V7EbI
  • In Eb minorMinor-key dominant
    V7

    The same pull in Eb minor, where harmonic minor supplies the raised D.

    EbmiAbmivBb7V7Ebmi
  • In Bb bluesBlues home
    I7

    In a 12-bar blues the home chord is itself a 7 chord, and it does not need to resolve.

    Bb7I7Eb7IV7Bb7I7F7V7
  • In Ab majorSecondary dominant
    II7

    In Ab major it borrows a pull toward Eb, the V of that key.

    AbIBb7II7EbVAbI

Progressions to try

  • EbAbBb7Eb

    Bb7 is V7 in Eb major; hear its seventh and third lean into the last chord.

  • EbmAbmBb7Ebm

    The same dominant shape leads into a minor tonic in Eb minor.

  • Bb7Eb7Bb7F7

    In Bb blues, the tonic itself carries a seventh; the loop returns to Bb7 without losing that blues color.

  • AbBb7EbAb

    Bb7 briefly acts as a secondary dominant, pointing toward the chord after it rather than the main tonic.

Which shape should you use?

On guitar, start with x13131, a barre at the 1st fret. Press the barred notes evenly and mute any strings marked x. The 686766 shape gives you another position when the neighboring chords sit elsewhere on the neck.

On ukulele, start with 1211, played at the 1st fret. The 7868 grip moves the chord to another register.

On piano, play B flat-D-F-A flat. Move B flat up an octave to reach the first inversion, D-F-A flat-B flat; the notes remain the same while the lowest voice changes.

What are the inversions?

B flat is the root, D the major third, F the fifth and A flat the flat seventh, ten semitones above the root.

  • Root position: B flat-D-F-A flat, with B flat lowest.
  • First inversion: D-F-A flat-B flat, written Bb7/D if D is lowest in the whole arrangement.
  • Second inversion: F-A flat-B flat-D, written Bb7/F if F is lowest in the whole arrangement.
  • Third inversion: A flat-B flat-D-F, written Bb7/Ab if A flat is lowest in the whole arrangement.

A slash chord names the note in the bass, not merely the lowest note under one hand. Chord Inversions shows how to read that distinction.

How does Bb7 differ from Bbmaj7?

Keep B flat, D and F; raise the seventh from A flat to A. The result is Bbmaj7, whose major seventh changes the pull. Try that one-note change on piano, then use the comparer to hear it in the full chord. See Bbmaj7 for the other chord's full spelling and roles.

  • Bb7

    Bb - D - F - Ab
    C4

    Bb dominant 7

  • Bbmaj7

    Bb - D - F - A
    C4

    Bb major 7

Try another chord