B♭ major (B♭) chord on piano

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

Root position: B♭3 – D4 – F4

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What the B♭ chord sounds like

A major triad sounds stable and bright: root, major third and perfect fifth. Most songs are built on major chords – in a major key, chords I, IV and V are all major.

Notes of the B♭ chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B♭	root
3	D	major third (4 semitones)
5	F	perfect fifth (7 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 – D4 – F4

1st inversion

D4 – F4 – B♭4

2nd inversion

F4 – B♭4 – D5

Which keys is it in?

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

B♭ major: I (tonic)
E♭ major: V (dominant)
F major: IV (subdominant)
E♭ minor: V (dominant)
C minor: VII
G minor: III
D minor: VI

Similar chords and substitutes

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

Substitutes (by function)

Gm – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
Dm – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
B♭maj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
B♭sus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Richer versions

B♭7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B♭maj7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B♭6 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B♭add9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭ chord?

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

How do I play the B♭ 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.