All chords › Bb › Minor-family

Bb Minor-family Chords

Minor seventh and its extensions, plus the minor-major seventh family. The same darkness as a plain minor chord, with more air in the upper voices.

14 chord types · 79 playable voicings · frets 1–14 · 18 use an open string

18 of the 79 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: Bbm7 · Bbm6 · Bbm6/9 · Bbm(maj7) · Bbm7add11 · Bbm(maj7)add11 · Bbm7add13 · Bbm(maj7)add13 · Bbm(add9) · Bbm9 · Bbm(maj9) · Bbm11 · Bbm(maj11) · Bbm13

Bbm7

BbC#FG#
9 shapes · open & play
X
1
3
1
2
1
X
1
3
1
2
4
X
X
1
2
4
3
X
X
1
4
2
3
6
1
3
1
1
1
1
6
1
3
1
1
4
1
6
1
3
1
1
1
4
X
X
6
1
2
3
4
X
X
8
1
4
2
3

Bbm7 turns up as the i, v, iv, vi chord across 6 keys: i of Bb minor, v of Eb minor, iv of F minor, vi of C# major, ii of G# major, iii of F# major.

Progressions that actually use it: i7 – VImaj7 – IIImaj7 – VII7 (Bb minor), Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 (C# major), Iadd9 – V – vi7 – IV (C# major), vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 (C# major).

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm7
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 1 3 1 2 1– 1 3 1 2 1
X 1 3 1 2 4– 1 3 1 2 4
X 1 X 1 2 1– 1 – 2 4 3
X 1 3 1 2 X– 1 4 2 3 –
6 8 6 6 6 61 3 1 1 1 1
6 8 6 6 9 61 3 1 1 4 1
6 8 6 6 6 91 3 1 1 1 4
6 X 6 6 6 X1 – 2 3 4 –
X X 8 10 9 9– – 1 4 2 3

Bbm6

BbC#FG
9 shapes · open & play
X
X
O
1
3
2
X
O
X
1
3
2
X
O
1
4
3
2
X
O
1
3
2
4
X
X
O
6
3
1
4
X
X
8
1
4
2
3
X
O
X
11
3
1
4
X
O
11
3
1
2
4
X
11
3
1
2
1
4

Bbm6 is the iv and the ii chord of F minor and G# major.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm6
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 1 X 0 2 1– 1 – – 3 2
X 1 3 0 2 X– 1 3 – 2 –
X 1 3 0 2 1– 1 4 – 3 2
X 1 3 0 2 3– 1 3 – 2 4
X X 8 0 6 9– – 3 – 1 4
X X 8 10 8 9– – 1 4 2 3
X 13 11 0 X 13– 3 1 – – 4
X 13 11 0 11 13– 3 1 – 2 4
X 13 11 12 11 13– 3 1 2 1 4

Bbm6/9

BbC#FGC
6 shapes · open & play
3
3
1
1
4
4
1
4
3
1
2
2
4
4
X
4
3
1
2
2
4
6
1
2
2
1
3
3
X
O
11
2
1
3
3
X
11
3
1
2
4
4

Bbm6/9 is the iv and the ii chord of F minor and G# major.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm6/9
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 3 3 6 6 33 1 1 4 4 1
6 4 5 5 6 63 1 2 2 4 4
6 4 5 5 6 X3 1 2 2 4 –
6 8 8 6 8 81 2 2 1 3 3
X 13 11 0 13 13– 2 1 – 3 3
X 13 11 12 13 13– 3 1 2 4 4

Bbm(maj7)

BbC#FA
8 shapes · open & play
X
1
4
2
3
1
X
X
1
3
4
2
O
X
5
2
3
4
1
X
X
5
4
2
3
1
6
1
3
2
1
1
1
6
1
3
2
1
1
4
X
X
8
1
3
4
2
X
X
10
4
2
1
1

Bbm(maj7) — A minor triad with a major seventh. It comes from harmonic minor, not from any plain major or minor scale — that half-step between the seventh and the root is what makes it sound suspenseful. Think spy themes and stairwells of descending bass lines.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm(maj7)
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 1 3 2 2 1– 1 4 2 3 1
X 1 X 2 2 1– 1 – 3 4 2
6 0 X 6 6 52 – – 3 4 1
X X 8 6 6 5– – 4 2 3 1
6 8 7 6 6 61 3 2 1 1 1
6 8 7 6 6 91 3 2 1 1 4
X X 8 10 10 9– – 1 3 4 2
X 13 11 10 10 X– 4 2 1 1 –

Bbm7add11

BbC#FG#Eb
6 shapes · open & play
X
1
1
1
3
2
X
6
1
1
1
1
1
6
1
1
1
1
1
1
6
1
1
1
1
1
4
6
1
1
1
3
2
4
6
1
2
1
3
1
4

Bbm7add11 turns up as the i, v, iv, vi chord across 6 keys: i of Bb minor, v of Eb minor, iv of F minor, vi of C# major, ii of G# major, iii of F# major.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm7add11
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 1 1 1 2 1– 1 1 1 3 2
6 6 6 6 6 X1 1 1 1 1 –
6 6 6 6 6 61 1 1 1 1 1
6 6 6 6 6 91 1 1 1 1 4
6 6 6 8 6 91 1 1 3 2 4
6 8 6 8 6 91 2 1 3 1 4

Bbm(maj7)add11

BbC#FAEb
6 shapes · open & play
X
1
1
3
4
2
6
1
1
2
1
1
1
X
6
1
1
4
2
3
6
1
1
2
1
1
4
6
1
1
2
3
1
4
X
10
4
2
1
1
3

Bbm(maj7)add11 — A minor-major seventh with the eleventh added. Harmonic-minor colour with a fourth ringing against the third.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm(maj7)add11
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 1 1 2 2 1– 1 1 3 4 2
6 6 7 6 6 61 1 2 1 1 1
6 6 7 6 6 X1 1 4 2 3 –
6 6 7 6 6 91 1 2 1 1 4
6 6 7 8 6 91 1 2 3 1 4
X 13 11 10 10 11– 4 2 1 1 3

Bbm7add13

BbC#FG#G
6 shapes · open & play
X
O
1
3
2
4
X
1
3
1
2
4
O
X
4
2
1
3
4
O
6
1
2
1
3
4
6
1
3
1
1
4
1
X
6
1
3
1
1
4

Bbm7add13 is the iv and the ii chord of F minor and G# major.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm7add13
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 1 3 0 2 4– 1 3 – 2 4
X 1 3 1 2 3– 1 3 1 2 4
6 4 6 0 6 X2 1 3 – 4 –
6 8 6 0 8 91 2 1 – 3 4
6 8 6 6 8 61 3 1 1 4 1
6 8 6 6 8 X1 3 1 1 4 –

Bbm(maj7)add13

BbC#FAG
7 shapes · open & play
O
5
2
1
3
4
1
O
X
5
2
1
3
4
O
X
O
6
1
2
4
O
O
6
1
3
2
4
O
O
6
1
3
2
4
6
1
3
2
1
4
1
X
6
1
3
2
1
4

Bbm(maj7)add13 — A minor-major seventh with the thirteenth added. Harmonic-minor colour, opened out at the top.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm(maj7)add13
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 0 5 6 6 52 – 1 3 4 1
6 0 5 6 6 X2 – 1 3 4 –
6 0 X 0 6 91 – – – 2 4
6 0 7 0 6 91 – 3 – 2 4
6 0 8 0 6 91 – 3 – 2 4
6 8 7 6 8 61 3 2 1 4 1
6 8 7 6 8 X1 3 2 1 4 –

Bbm(add9)

BbC#FC
6 shapes · open & play
3
3
1
1
4
4
4
X
X
6
1
2
3
4
6
1
2
2
1
1
3
X
X
6
3
1
1
4
X
X
10
3
2
1
4
X
10
2
1
1
4
3

Bbm(add9) turns up as the i, iv, vi, ii chord across 4 keys: i of Bb minor, iv of F minor, vi of C# major, ii of G# major.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm(add9)
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 3 3 6 6 63 1 1 4 4 4
6 X X 6 6 81 – – 2 3 4
6 8 8 6 6 81 2 2 1 1 3
X X 8 6 6 8– – 3 1 1 4
X 13 11 10 13 X– 3 2 1 4 –
X 13 10 10 14 13– 2 1 1 4 3

Bbm9

BbC#FG#C
5 shapes · open & play
3
2
1
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
4
4
2
6
1
3
1
1
1
4
6
1
2
1
1
4
3
X
11
2
1
3
3
3

Bbm9 turns up as the i, iv, vi, ii chord across 4 keys: i of Bb minor, iv of F minor, vi of C# major, ii of G# major.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm9
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 3 6 6 6 62 1 3 3 3 3
6 3 3 6 6 43 1 1 4 4 2
6 8 6 6 6 81 3 1 1 1 4
6 8 6 6 9 81 2 1 1 4 3
X 13 11 13 13 13– 2 1 3 3 3

Bbm(maj9)

BbC#FAC
5 shapes · open & play
3
3
1
1
4
4
2
O
X
6
1
2
3
4
6
1
3
2
1
1
4
X
10
2
1
4
4
3
X
11
2
1
4
3
3

Bbm(maj9) — The minor-major seventh with a ninth on top. Same harmonic-minor origin, more air above it.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm(maj9)
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 3 3 6 6 53 1 1 4 4 2
6 0 X 6 6 81 – – 2 3 4
6 8 7 6 6 81 3 2 1 1 4
X 13 10 14 14 13– 2 1 4 4 3
X 13 11 14 13 13– 2 1 4 3 3

Bbm11

BbC#FG#CEb
2 shapes · open & play
3
3
1
1
4
2
2
6
1
1
1
1
1
3

Bbm11 turns up as the i, iv, vi, ii chord across 4 keys: i of Bb minor, iv of F minor, vi of C# major, ii of G# major.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm11
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 3 3 6 4 43 1 1 4 2 2
6 6 6 6 6 81 1 1 1 1 3

Bbm(maj11)

BbC#FACEb
1 shape · open & play
6
1
1
2
1
1
3

Bbm(maj11) — The minor-major seventh stacked up to the eleventh. From harmonic minor; dense and unresolved.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm(maj11)
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 6 7 6 6 81 1 2 1 1 3

Bbm13

BbC#FG#CG
3 shapes · open & play
3
3
1
4
4
4
1
4
3
1
2
2
4
1
6
1
2
1
1
3
3

Bbm13 is the iv and the ii chord of F minor and G# major.

Fret and finger numbers for Bbm13
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
6 3 6 6 6 33 1 4 4 4 1
6 4 5 5 6 43 1 2 2 4 1
6 8 6 6 8 81 2 1 1 3 3

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.