How to Play the Guitar Chord Bbm
Minor chords are characteristically melancholy sounding, especially compared to major chords. The harmonic difference between a major and a minor chord is the pitch of the chord's third note. For example, the notes in a B flat, or "Bb" major chord are Bb, D and F. The chords in Bb minor are Bb, Db and F. The third note of the major is flat in the minor. Bb minor is one of the less commonly used chords in guitar music, but it is just as easy to play as D minor, A minor or E minor.
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Instructions
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Bb Minor Barre Chord
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1
Lay your first finger flat across all strings in the fret six position. Press down so that the note of each string is audible. Pluck each string to make sure. If any notes are dull or buzzing, readjust your finger position.
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2
Place your third finger on fret eight of the A string, to make an F note. Place your little finger on fret eight of the D string to make a Bb note. From low to high the notes in the chord are Bb, F, Bb, Db, F and Bb. Because your fingers span the width of the fretboard, some notes are repeated at higher octaves.
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3
Strum the strings in a downward motion, from the bottom E to the top E. Note that bottom E is located at the top of the guitar, nearest to you.
"D Minor Shaped" Bb Minor Chord
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4
Make a D minor chord shape. The D minor chord shape is transferable. By moving the shape along the frets, you can make minor chords in any key. Place your third finger on the third fret of the B string. The B string is second from the bottom to make a D.
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5
Place your first finger on the first fret of the first string to make an F. Place your second finger on the G string to make an A. This is a D minor chord shape, but the shape is transferable. The intervals between the notes in the chord remains the same, regardless of where you play it.
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6
Move the chord shape down the fretboard toward the body of the guitar, so that your third finger is on the 11 fret of the B string. This note is Bb. Check that your second finger is on fret 10 of the G string to make F and your first is on the ninth fret of the top E to make a Db. By repositioning the standard D minor chord eight frets down the fretboard, you form a Bb minor chord.
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7
Strum the chord, starting from the G string. Be careful not to strike the open D string. This note will clash with the Db already present in the chord.
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Tips & Warnings
Place your second finger on the seventh fret of the G string to make the minor barre chord shape into a major barre chord shape.
The Bb minor is also called an A# minor. The lower case "b" denotes a flat note, the hash shape denotes a sharp.
References
Resources
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