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.

Bbm piano chord diagram, root position, B♭ D♭ F

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.

Bbm in major keys

Every note of Bbm sits inside these keys. See how it works alongside the other chords in each one.

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