Bb barre chord, 1st fret (x13331)
- Fingering
- x13331
- Fingers
- – 1 2 3 4 1
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Position
- barre chord, 1st fret
Notes in the Bb major chord
The Bb chord is made of B♭ · D · F. Its formula is 1–3–5.
| Note | Degree | Interval from Bb |
|---|---|---|
| B♭ | 1 | root |
| D | 3 | major third |
| F | 5 | perfect fifth |
How to play the Bb guitar chord
Barre the 1st fret with your first finger from the A string to the high E string. Put your second, third and fourth fingers on the 3rd fret of the D, G and B strings.
It is the A major shape moved up one fret. Many players flatten the third finger across the three strings at the 3rd fret instead of using three fingertips. Strum from the A string.
Why your Bb chord buzzes or sounds muted
Like F, the barre is next to the nut, where the strings resist most. The high E string under the barre is the usual casualty. If it will not ring, the chord is still complete without it.
With the flattened third finger, bend its last joint backwards slightly so it clears the high E string.
Easy Bb guitar chord
The easy Bb chord is xx3331: the top four strings of the full shape, with the low E and A strings left out. It still contains every note of the chord (Bb, D and F), so it is a real Bb, just thinner in the bass.
No barre is needed. Use one fingertip per string.
Bb barre chord
Bb has 2 barre shapes here: x13331 (barre at the 1st fret) and 688766 (barre at the 6th fret).
A barre shape has no open strings, so it moves. Slide any of them up one fret and you are playing B.
Songs that use Bb
- Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits): Dm C Bb A F
- Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day): Fm Ab Eb Bb
- Stray Cat Strut (Stray Cats): Cm Bb Ab G7
- Purple Rain (Prince): Bb Gm F Eb
- Mad World (Gary Jules): Fm Ab Eb Bb
Chord names only, as the songs are usually charted for guitar. Recordings may use a capo or another key.
Keys with the Bb chord
Bb is the V chord in Eb major, IV chord in F major and I chord in Bb major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in C minor, VI chord in D minor and III chord in G minor.
Chords related to Bb
Every Bb chord on guitar
Bb guitar chord questions
How do you play a Bb chord on guitar?
Play x13331, reading from the low E string to the high E string, with a barre at the 1st fret. An x means the string is not played and a 0 means it rings open. The fingers used are - 1 2 3 4 1.
What notes are in the Bb chord?
The Bb major chord has 3 notes: Bb, D and F. Its formula is 1–3–5, counted from the Bb major scale.
Is there an easy way to play Bb?
Yes. Play xx3331, which uses only the top four strings and no full barre. It contains the same notes: Bb, D and F.
What keys is the Bb chord in?
Bb is the V chord in Eb major, IV chord in F major and I chord in Bb major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in C minor, VI chord in D minor and III chord in G minor.
Bb chord diagram to print or save
Printable Bb chord PDF (one letter page, black on white) · Bb chord PNG (1200 px)
