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Piano chord

B♭B flat major

  • B♭1
  • D3
  • F5
Notes
3
Positions
3
Span
7semitones
Fingers
1-3-5

How to play B♭ on piano

  1. Find B♭: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
  2. Right hand: 1 on B♭, 3 on D, 5 on F.
  3. Or with the left hand: 5 on B♭, 3 on D, 1 on F.
  4. Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
  1. B♭ on piano, Root position: B♭ D FB♭, D, FDFB♭351
    B♭ on piano, Root position: B♭ D FB♭, D, FDFB♭315

    Root position · B♭ – D – F

  2. B♭ on piano, 1st inversion: D F B♭D, F, B♭DFB♭125
    B♭ on piano, 1st inversion: D F B♭D, F, B♭DFB♭531

    1st inversion · D – F – B♭

  3. B♭ on piano, 2nd inversion: F B♭ DF, B♭, DFDB♭153
    B♭ on piano, 2nd inversion: F B♭ DF, B♭, DFDB♭512

    2nd inversion · F – B♭ – D

Numbers on the keys are fingers: 1 thumb, 2 index, 3 middle, 4 ring, 5 little finger.

B♭ inversions

Use these 3 positions to move between chords with as little hand movement as possible. Root position starts on B♭; the inversions start on the other notes of the chord.

Chords that go with B♭

The other chords of B flat major, the key where B♭ is home (I). Songs in this key move between them.

B♭ with two hands

A full sound: the left hand plays B♭ an octave lower, the right hand plays B♭–D–F.

B♭ with two handsB♭, B♭, D, FDFB♭B♭3551

B♭ on other instruments

About the B♭ chord

To build B flat major, take these 3 notes from the root up: B♭ (1), D (3), F (5). A major triad: a major third and a perfect fifth over B♭. It is the most common chord in music and sounds bright and stable.

The keys are B♭ – D – F, counted up from B♭; the distance from the lowest to the highest key is 7 semitones. Any hand that reaches an octave can hold B♭, so it works in either hand.

In the inversions of B♭ the root moves up and another note takes the bass. In the 1st inversion the bass is D (D–F–B♭). In the 2nd inversion the bass is F (F–B♭–D).

Compared with B♭7, B♭ leaves out A♭.

You meet B♭ in these keys: F major (IV), B flat major (I), E flat major (V), D minor (VI), G minor (III).

Questions

What notes are in the B♭ chord?

B♭ (B flat major) has 3 notes: B♭ (1), D (3), F (5).

How many inversions does B♭ have?

B♭ can be played in 3 positions: Root position (B♭–D–F); 1st inversion (D–F–B♭); 2nd inversion (F–B♭–D).

What is the difference between B♭ and B♭7?

Compared with B♭7, B♭ leaves out A♭.

Can I play B♭ with one hand?

Yes. In root position B♭ spans 7 semitones, less than an octave, so one hand holds it easily.

More B♭ chords