B♭ major seventh (B♭maj7) chord on banjo

Major seventh chord (a major triad plus a major seventh) on B♭: the notes of the B♭maj7 chord are B♭ – D – F – A. The same chord with a different spelling: A♯ major seventh (A♯maj7).

Dots show:

Basic shapemedium

Position 8easy

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What the B♭maj7 chord sounds like

The major seventh chord sounds soft, dreamy and a little jazzy. The major seventh sits a half step below the root, so it rubs gently against it without needing to resolve.

Notes of the B♭maj7 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B♭	root
3	D	major third (4 semitones)
5	F	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
7	A	major seventh (11 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (D): fret 7, ring finger (A4)
String 2 (B): fret 6, index finger (F4)
String 3 (G): fret 7, middle finger (D4)
String 4 (D): fret 8, little finger (B♭3)

Position 8

String 1 (D): open (D4)
String 2 (B): fret 10, little finger (A4)
String 3 (G): fret 10, ring finger (F4)
String 4 (D): fret 8, index finger (B♭3)

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The B♭maj7 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

B♭ major: Imaj7 (tonic)
F major: IVmaj7 (subdominant)
G minor: IIImaj7
D minor: VImaj7

Similar chords and substitutes

If B♭maj7 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Gm7 – relative minor seventh: three shared notes
Dm7 – mediant minor seventh: three shared notes
B♭6 – another tonic colour, more vintage and swingy

Simpler versions

B♭ – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

B♭maj9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭maj7 chord?

B♭, D, F, A. The root is B♭; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, major seventh.

What is the easiest way to play B♭maj7 on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Position 8”, rated easy. We show 2 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some B♭maj7 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 4-note chord. The fifth (F) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without it.

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.