Bbm7 chord (B flat minor seventh) on bass
Bbm7 (B flat minor seventh) has four notes: B flat, D flat, F and A flat. Its formula is 1, b3, 5, b7. In major keys, Bbm7 is the ii7 chord in Ab major, the iii7 in F# major and the vi7 in Db major.
How to play Bbm7 on bass
Low notes close together sound muddy, so bass players spread a chord out and leave notes out. Forms with a 3rd or 7th sound clear from about the E string's 8th fret up, so they start there; root and 5th stays low. These forms put the root on the E string; the same shapes work from the A string.
Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on D, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 3 on D.
Hear it and see every shape in ScaleSpace →
| Symbol | Bbm7 |
|---|---|
| Also written | Bbmin7, Bb-7 |
| Notes | Bb Db F Ab |
| Formula | 1 b3 5 b7 |
| Intervals | root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh |
| Type | Minor seventh chord |
Bbm7 across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 1 F (5), fret 4 Ab (flat 7), fret 6 Bb (1), fret 9 Db (flat 3), fret 13 F (5), fret 16 Ab (flat 7), fret 18 Bb (1), fret 21 Db (flat 3).
- A string: fret 1 Bb (1), fret 4 Db (flat 3), fret 8 F (5), fret 11 Ab (flat 7), fret 13 Bb (1), fret 16 Db (flat 3), fret 20 F (5), fret 23 Ab (flat 7).
- D string: fret 3 F (5), fret 6 Ab (flat 7), fret 8 Bb (1), fret 11 Db (flat 3), fret 15 F (5), fret 18 Ab (flat 7), fret 20 Bb (1), fret 23 Db (flat 3).
- G string: fret 1 Ab (flat 7), fret 3 Bb (1), fret 6 Db (flat 3), fret 10 F (5), fret 13 Ab (flat 7), fret 15 Bb (1), fret 18 Db (flat 3), fret 22 F (5).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Questions
What notes are in the Bbm7 chord?
Bbm7 (B flat minor seventh) has four notes: B flat, D flat, F and A flat. Its formula is 1, b3, 5, b7. Bb is the root, Db is the minor third, F is the perfect fifth and Ab is the minor seventh.
How do you play Bbm7 on bass?
Bass players spread it out rather than strum it. The simplest form is the root and 10th: 1 b10, root on the E string, fret 18. Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on G.
What key is Bbm7 in?
In major keys, Bbm7 is the ii7 chord in Ab major, the iii7 in F# major and the vi7 in Db major. It is diatonic to those keys, so it fits songs in any of them.
What is the difference between Bbm7 and Bbm?
Bbm7 is Bbm (Bb, Db and F) with a flat 7th added: Ab.