x 1 3 3 3 1
Bb major
Notes: Bb · D · F
Also spelled A# major
Triads
Suspended
Sevenths
Extensions
Common shapes (4)
6 5 3 3 3 6
6 8 8 7 6 6
x x 8 10 11 10
Other shapes (23)
Showing 12 of 23
x 1 0 3 3 1
x 1 3 3 3 x
6 8 0 7 x x
6 5 0 x 6 x
6 5 0 7 6 x
6 5 0 3 6 x
6 8 0 7 6 x
6 5 0 x 6 6
6 5 3 3 x x
6 x 0 7 6 6
x 1 3 x 3 1
x x 8 7 6 6
About Bb major
The Bb major chord is made up of Bb (root), D (major third) and F (perfect fifth). In scale degrees above the root, the formula is 1 – 3 – 5. It is a major chord: it sounds stable and bright, and it is the foundation of most chord progressions.
On guitar, Bb major has 4 common shapes: the A, G, E and D shapes. These are CAGED system shapes, the basis for playing the same chord anywhere on the neck. There are 23 more voicings sorted by difficulty; use the viewer switches to add inversions and stretches. Bb major is also written as A# major: the same chord with the root spelled differently, and it sounds identical. The more common spelling is Bb major.