Bbmaj7 Piano Chord

Bbmaj7 is the B flat major seventh chord. It has four notes: B flat, D, F and A. Only the root is a black key; the other three are white.

1B♭2D3F5AC3C4

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

How to play Bbmaj7 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.

The thumb sits on a black key and the rest of the hand is on white ones. Move the whole hand forward into the keyboard so the thumb is not reaching backward for its note.

Inversions of Bbmaj7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Bbmaj7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionD F A B♭
Bbmaj7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, D F A B♭
Lighter than root position and less final. A 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
Bbmaj7 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
Bbmaj7 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 top note is A flat
That gives Bb7, which pulls toward E flat. Bbmaj7 needs A natural.
The thumb keeps slipping
A thumb on a black key is the thing to get used to here. The hand has to sit further in than it does for an all white chord.
The chord sounds harsh low down
The A and the B flat above it are a half step apart. Below middle C that turns muddy, so play it higher.

What makes it a Bbmaj7

B♭ · D · F · A 1 3 5 7

Bbmaj7 is a B flat major triad, B flat D F, with an A added: the major seventh.

It is the I chord of B flat major and the IV of F. B flat is a horn key, so this chord is a staple of jazz standards and big band writing.

Bbmaj7 vs Bb

Bbmaj7 is B flat major with an A on top. The plain triad is final; the seventh is soft and open.

In jazz the seventh is nearly always what is meant when a chart says B flat, because bare triads are rare in that music.

Questions about Bbmaj7

Which notes are in a Bbmaj7 chord on piano?

B flat, D, F and A. B flat is the black key; the rest are white.

What fingers do you use for Bbmaj7?

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

What is the difference between Bbmaj7 and Bb7?

The top note. Bbmaj7 has A natural and rests; Bb7 has A flat and pulls toward E flat.

Is Bbmaj7 hard to play?

Only the thumb on a black key takes getting used to. The rest is an ordinary four note shape.

Where is the Bbmaj7 chord used?

As the I chord in B flat and the IV in F. Jazz standards use it constantly.

Chords to learn next

Other Bb chords