Bbm Piano Chord

B flat minor is the Bbm piano chord. It has three notes: B flat, D flat and F. The lower two are black keys and the top note is white.

1B♭3D♭5FC3C4

B♭ at the bottom, then D♭ and F. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. The black keys are B♭ and D♭.

How to play Bbm on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the B♭ below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): B♭
  3. Middle finger (3): D♭
  4. Little finger (5): F
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just B♭ on its own as a bass note.

The thumb and middle finger both sit on black keys here while the little finger comes forward to a white one. Let the hand angle rather than trying to keep the fingers in a straight line.

Inversions of Bbm

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Bbm; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionD♭ F B♭
Bbm piano chord diagram, first inversion, D♭ F B♭
Lighter than root position and less final. A flat third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionF B♭ D♭
Bbm piano chord diagram, second inversion, F B♭ D♭
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.

If it sounds wrong

The thumb slides off
With the thumb on a black key the hand has to sit further into the keyboard. Move the arm forward; do not stretch the thumb back.
The middle note is wrong
It is D flat, the black key to the left of D. D natural would give B flat major.
The top note is weak
F is white and sits forward of the other two, so the little finger is at a different depth. Keep the wrist relaxed and let the hand tilt naturally.

What makes it a Bbm

B♭ · D♭ · F 1 ♭3 5

B flat minor is the first, flat third and fifth of the B flat scale: B flat, D flat and F. It has five flats in its key signature, two of which are in the chord.

It is the relative minor of D flat major, the vi chord of D flat and the ii of A flat. It is a jazz, soul and film music chord far more than a guitar one.

Bbm vs Bb

The middle note. B flat minor uses D flat, a black key; B flat major uses D, the white key above it.

B flat major is the more common of the two, as a home key for horns. B flat minor is a colour chord, used where a piece wants to sound darker.

Questions about Bbm

Which notes are in a Bbm chord on piano?

B flat, D flat and F. B flat and D flat are black keys; F is white.

What fingers do you use for Bbm?

Right hand: thumb on B flat, middle finger on D flat, little finger on F. Left hand: little finger on B flat, middle on D flat, thumb on F.

Is Bbm the same as A#m?

The same keys and the same sound. Flat spelling is used almost everywhere for this chord, so B flat minor is the name here.

Is Bbm hard on piano?

Only the thumb on a black key takes getting used to. Once the hand learns to sit further in, the shape is straightforward.

Where is the Bbm chord used?

As the vi chord in D flat, the ii in A flat and the iii in G flat. Jazz and soul use it regularly.

Chords to learn next

Other Bb chords