B♭ minor seventh (B♭m7) chord on piano

Looking for the B♭m7 chord on piano? It is a minor seventh chord (a minor triad plus a minor seventh), made of four notes: B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭. The same chord with a different spelling: A♯ minor seventh (A♯m7).

Root position: B♭3 – D♭4 – F4 – A♭4

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What the B♭m7 chord sounds like

A minor seventh chord is softer than a plain minor chord – the minor seventh fills out the sound. In jazz it is the ii of the ii–V–I, in pop and soul a common colour chord.

Notes of the B♭m7 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B♭	root
3	D♭	minor third (3 semitones)
5	F	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	A♭	minor seventh (10 semitones)

Root position and inversions

An inversion uses the same notes, with a different note at the bottom. When you change chords, choosing the nearest inversion keeps your hand almost still.

Root position

B♭3 – D♭4 – F4 – A♭4

1st inversion

D♭4 – F4 – A♭4 – B♭4

2nd inversion

F4 – A♭4 – B♭4 – D♭5

3rd inversion

A♭4 – B♭4 – D♭5 – F5

Which keys is it in?

The B♭m7 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

B♭ minor: i7 (tonic)
E♭ minor: v7 (dominant)
F minor: iv7 (subdominant)
G♭ major: iii7
D♭ major: vi7
A♭ major: ii7

Similar chords and substitutes

If B♭m7 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

C♯maj7 – relative major seventh: three shared notes
E♭7 – in a ii–V, this is the dominant that follows

Same notes

C♯6 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

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

Richer versions

B♭m9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭m7 chord?

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

How do I play the B♭m7 chord on piano?

In root position, the right hand usually plays with fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger, little finger); four-note chords with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5. The left hand mirrors this: 5, 3, 1. In an inversion the top or bottom note moves to the other side, so your hand moves less when you change chords.

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.