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B♭ major 7th chord on piano

B♭maj7 is a major 7th chord built on B♭. It uses the notes B♭ - D - F - A and sounds warm, jazzy and relaxed. It is also written as A♯ major 7th.

B♭ major 7th chord keyboard diagram: B♭, D, F, ADFAB♭
Notes
B♭ D F A
Formula
1 - 3 - 5 - 7
Right hand fingering
1 - 2 - 3 - 5
Left hand fingering
5 - 3 - 2 - 1
Chord symbol
B♭maj7

How to play B♭maj7 step by step

  1. Find B♭. B♭ is the last black key in each group of three. The same key is also called A♯.
  2. Add D, 4 half steps above B♭.
  3. Add F, 7 half steps above B♭.
  4. Add A, 11 half steps above B♭.
  5. Press all 4 keys together with fingers 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 of your right hand. Keep your wrist level and let the weight of your arm do the work.

B♭maj7 inversions

An inversion uses the same notes in a different order. Inversions let your hand move less between chords, which is how pianists make chord changes sound smooth.

B♭maj7 Root position: B♭, D, F, ADFAB♭
Root positionB♭ - D - F - A
B♭maj7 1st inversion: D, F, A, B♭DFAB♭
1st inversionD - F - A - B♭
B♭maj7 2nd inversion: F, A, B♭, DFADB♭
2nd inversionF - A - B♭ - D
B♭maj7 3rd inversion: A, B♭, D, FADFB♭
3rd inversionA - B♭ - D - F

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭ major 7th chord?

The B♭ major 7th chord (B♭maj7) contains 4 notes: B♭, D, F, A. Its formula is 1 - 3 - 5 - 7.

How do you play B♭maj7 on piano?

Put your right-hand thumb on B♭ and play B♭, D, F, A together using fingers 1 - 2 - 3 - 5. With the left hand, use fingers 5 - 3 - 2 - 1.

Is B♭ major 7th the same as A♯ major 7th?

Yes. B♭ major 7th and A♯ major 7th use exactly the same piano keys. The name you see depends on the key signature of the piece.

Other B♭ chords

Other major 7th chords