All chords › Bb › Dominant

Bb Dominant Chords

A major triad with a flat seventh on top. These chords lean forward and want to resolve, which is what makes a turnaround work.

6 chord types · 35 playable voicings · frets 1–13 · 15 use an open string

15 of the 35 shapes below let at least one string ring open, which usually makes them easier to hold and fuller to hear than the barred equivalents. The rest are movable grips. In the keys you are most likely to meet them, these chords sit as the I of Bb, the IV of Eb, and the V of F.

Jump to: Bb7 · Bb9 · Bb11 · Bb13 · Bb7add11 · Bb7add13

Bb7

BbDFG#
9 shapes · open & play
X
O
1
2
4
3
X
O
X
1
2
3
X
1
3
1
4
1
3
4
3
1
1
1
2
O
X
4
3
2
4
1
6
1
3
1
2
1
1
6
1
3
1
2
4
1
X
X
8
1
3
2
4
X
X
12
2
1
3
4

Bb7 is the V and the VII chord of Eb major and C minor.

Progressions that actually use it: ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 (Eb major), Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 (Eb major), I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7 (Eb major), vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 (Eb major).

Fret and finger numbers for Bb7
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 1 0 1 3 1– 1 – 2 4 3
X 1 0 1 X 1– 1 – 2 – 3
X 1 3 1 3 1– 1 3 1 4 1
6 5 3 3 3 44 3 1 1 1 2
6 5 0 X 6 43 2 – – 4 1
6 8 6 7 6 61 3 1 2 1 1
6 8 6 7 9 61 3 1 2 4 1
X X 8 10 9 10– – 1 3 2 4
X 13 12 13 X 13– 2 1 3 – 4

Bb9

BbDFG#C
5 shapes · open & play
X
O
1
2
3
4
3
4
1
1
1
1
2
3
4
1
1
3
1
2
X
5
2
1
3
1
4
6
1
3
1
2
1
4

Bb9 is the V and the VII chord of Eb major and C minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Bb9
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 1 0 1 1 1– 1 – 2 3 4
6 3 3 3 3 44 1 1 1 1 2
6 3 3 5 3 44 1 1 3 1 2
6 5 6 5 6 X2 1 3 1 4 –
6 8 6 7 6 81 3 1 2 1 4

Bb11

BbDFG#CEb
3 shapes · open & play
3
4
4
1
3
1
2
O
4
3
3
2
4
1
6
1
1
1
3
2
4

Bb11 is the V and the VII chord of Eb major and C minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Bb11
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 6 3 5 3 44 4 1 3 1 2
6 6 0 5 6 43 3 – 2 4 1
6 6 6 7 6 81 1 1 3 2 4

Bb13

BbDFG#CG
5 shapes · open & play
O
3
4
1
1
2
3
O
O
3
3
1
4
2
4
3
2
2
2
4
1
O
O
6
1
2
4
3
6
1
3
1
2
4
4

Bb13 is the V and the VII chord of Eb major and C minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Bb13
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 3 3 0 3 44 1 1 – 2 3
6 3 0 0 6 43 1 – – 4 2
6 5 5 5 6 43 2 2 2 4 1
6 8 0 0 9 81 2 – – 4 3
6 8 6 7 8 81 3 1 2 4 4

Bb7add11

BbDFG#Eb
6 shapes · open & play
X
O
1
2
4
3
X
1
1
1
3
2
3
3
4
1
1
1
2
O
X
6
1
2
3
4
6
1
1
1
4
2
3
X
6
1
1
1
3
2

Bb7add11 is the V and the VII chord of Eb major and C minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Bb7add11
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 1 0 1 4 1– 1 – 2 4 3
X 1 1 1 3 1– 1 1 1 3 2
6 6 3 3 3 43 4 1 1 1 2
6 8 0 8 9 X1 2 – 3 4 –
6 6 6 7 6 61 1 1 4 2 3
6 6 6 7 6 X1 1 1 3 2 –

Bb7add13

BbDFG#G
7 shapes · open & play
X
O
O
4
3
4
1
O
O
4
3
2
4
1
O
X
5
2
1
3
4
O
O
X
6
1
3
4
O
O
6
1
3
4
2
6
1
3
1
2
4
1
X
6
1
3
1
2
4

Bb7add13 is the V and the VII chord of Eb major and C minor.

Fret and finger numbers for Bb7add13
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 X 0 0 6 43 – – – 4 1
6 5 0 0 6 43 2 – – 4 1
6 5 6 0 6 X2 1 3 – 4 –
6 8 0 0 9 X1 3 – – 4 –
6 8 0 0 9 61 3 – – 4 2
6 8 6 7 8 61 3 1 2 4 1
6 8 6 7 8 X1 3 1 2 4 –

Every chord above has an open & play link that opens it in the interactive dictionary, where you can hear it and step through the shapes. You can also work backwards from a shape you are already holding.