Bbm7 Piano Chord

B flat minor seventh is the Bbm7 piano chord. It has four notes: B flat, D flat, F and A flat. Three of them are black keys and only the F is white.

Bbm7 piano chord diagram, root position, B♭ D♭ F A♭

B♭ at the bottom, then D♭ and F and A♭. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. The black keys are B♭ and D♭ and A♭.

How to play Bbm7 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. Index finger (2): D♭
  4. Middle finger (3): F
  5. Little finger (5): A♭
  6. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 2, 1 an octave lower, or just B♭ on its own as a bass note.

With three fingers on black keys the hand sits deep in the keyboard, and only the middle finger comes forward. That is a steadier position than the chords that alternate.

Inversions of Bbm7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Bbm7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionD♭ F A♭ B♭
Bbm7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, D♭ F A♭ 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 A♭ B♭ D♭
Bbm7 piano chord diagram, second inversion, F A♭ 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.
Third inversionA♭ B♭ D♭ F
Bbm7 piano chord diagram, third inversion, A♭ B♭ D♭ F
The most restless of the four. The seventh is the note that wants to move, and putting it underneath the whole chord makes that pull impossible to miss.

If it sounds wrong

The white note is wrong
F is the only white key here. If the chord sounds off, check that finger before the others.
The thumb slips off
The thumb is on a black key, which needs the hand further into the keyboard than usual.
The black keys are uneven
They are narrower than white keys. Aim each fingertip at the middle of its key.

What makes it a Bbm7

B♭ · D♭ · F · A♭ 1 ♭3 5 ♭7

B flat minor seventh is a B flat minor triad, B flat D flat F, with an A flat added: the flat seventh.

It is the ii chord of A flat and the vi of D flat. It belongs to jazz, soul and film music rather than to guitar keys.

Bbm7 vs Bbm

B flat minor seventh is B flat minor with an A flat on top. The extra black key deepens the hand position and softens the chord.

In jazz the seventh is the version nearly always played; the plain triad sounds bare in that context.

Bbm7 in major keys

Every note of Bbm7 sits inside these keys. See how it works alongside the other chords in each one.

Questions about Bbm7

Which notes are in a Bbm7 chord on piano?

B flat, D flat, F and A flat. Only F is a white key.

What fingers do you use for Bbm7?

Right hand: thumb on B flat, index on D flat, middle on F, little finger on A flat. Left hand: 5, 3, 2, 1.

Is Bbm7 the same as A#m7?

The same four keys and the same sound. Flat spelling is standard for this chord.

Where is the Bbm7 chord used?

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

Is Bbm7 hard on piano?

Less than it looks. Three black keys give the hand a deep, stable position.

Chords to learn next

Other Bb chords