Bbminor

Bbm is Bb, Db and F, a minor triad. The shape this page opens on is written x13321, lowest string first.

Note by note. Bb is the root, Db is the minor third and F is the fifth.

Also written Bbmin, Bb- or Bb minor. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 9 common shapes for Bbm on the guitar, and 46 derived voicings in the triad family.

One note away. Change a single note of Bbm and you have Bb (with one note moved), Bbdim (with one note moved), Bbsus2 (with one note moved), Bbsus4 (with one note moved), Bbm6 (with one note added) or Bbm7 (with one note added).

In which keys. Every note of Bbm belongs to C# major (the vi), Eb minor (the v), F minor (the iv), F# major (the iii), Ab major (the ii) and Bb minor (the i).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x13321, x4332x, 6433x6, 688666, xx8666, x-x-8-10-11-9, x-x-11-10-11-9, x-13-11-10-11-x, x-13-15-15-14-13.

Under the hand. None of the shapes for Bbm uses an open string, so every one of them is movable; the lowest sits at the 1st fret. 2 of the 9 need a barre. Together they cover the neck from the 1st fret to the 15th.

Triad. Three notes across one string set. Bbm has xxx321, x1332x, xx3321, xx332x, x4332x, x433xx, xx866x, xxx666.

What kind of chord this is. Bbm is a minor chord — root, minor third, fifth. minor chords on every root, and what they are for.

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.