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B♭ minor (B♭m) on guitar

The B♭ minor scale consists of the notes B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ and has 5 flats. Below you can see every usable note on the neck up to fret 15.

B♭ minorNatural minor scale

♪ Click a note on the fretboard to hear its sound.

E
B
G
D
A
E
0123•45•67•89•101112••131415•
Root noteOther notes
Click a note to hear it · frets 0–15

Chords in B♭ minor

Common progression: B♭m – G♭ – D♭ – A♭ (i–VI–III–VII).

Quick overview

Root note
B♭
Mode
minor
Key signature
5 flats
Pentatonic
B♭ D♭ E♭ F A♭
Relative key
D♭ major

Well-known songs in B♭ minor

  • BelieverImagine Dragons

Key of the original recording; live versions or covers may differ.

CAGED positions

With the CAGED system you play B♭m in five positions across the whole neck. Each shape connects to the next.

  • Am shapearound fret 1 · root on A string, fret 1
  • Gm shapearound fret 3 · root on low E string, fret 6
  • Em shapearound fret 6 · root on low E string, fret 6
  • Dm shapearound fret 8 · root on D string, fret 8
  • Cm shapearound fret 10 · root on A string, fret 13

Learn B♭ minor in 5 steps

  1. Step 1

    Find the root note B♭

    Find B♭ on the low E string (fret 6) and on the A string (fret 1). Play them alternately and say the name out loud. Every pattern below hangs off these two points.

  2. Step 2

    Play the main chords

    Learn the three most important chords: B♭m (i), E♭m (iv) and Fm (v). Switch between them at a slow tempo until you can play through without stopping.

  3. Step 3

    Learn the pentatonic in box 1

    The minor pentatonic (B♭ D♭ E♭ F A♭) is the first pattern to learn. Put your index finger around fret 6 and play two notes per string, from the low E to the high e and back.

  4. Step 4

    Extend to the full scale

    Add the two missing notes (C and G♭) in the same position. Now you're playing all seven notes of Bes mineur: B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭.

  5. Step 5

    Improvise over a chord progression

    Record B♭m – G♭ – A♭ – B♭m (or ask someone to play it) and solo over it using box 1. End your phrases on B♭ and listen to how that "coming home" sounds.

Playing B♭ minor with a capo

Go to the capo guide

Solo tips for B♭ minor

  1. Start with the minor pentatonic scale (B♭ D♭ E♭ F A♭). The best-known "box" pattern starts on the root B♭ on the low E string, fret 6.
  2. End your phrases on the root B♭ for a resolved feeling, or on the third D♭ and fifth F for tension.
  3. Add the blue note F♭ as a passing note for a bluesy sound — don't linger on it too long.
  4. Over the Fm chord (the v) deliberately play the notes of that chord to make the chord changes audible.
  5. Want a more classical, "Spanish" sound? Raise the 7th degree to A (harmonic minor), especially over the V chord.

Frequently asked questions about B♭ minor

Which notes are in Bes mineur?

Bes mineur (B♭m) consists of the notes B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭. The key signature has 5 flats.

Which chords fit Bes mineur?

The diatonic chords in Bes mineur are B♭m, Cdim, D♭, E♭m, Fm, G♭, A♭. You can freely combine them; they all sound good within the key.

What is the relative key of Bes mineur?

The relative key is D♭ major. It uses exactly the same notes and key signature, just with a different tonal centre.

Which pentatonic scale do you use in Bes mineur?

Use the minor pentatonic scale: B♭, D♭, E♭, F, A♭. It avoids the "tricky" half-step intervals and almost always sounds good.

How do I find B♭ on the guitar neck?

You'll find the root B♭ on the low E string at fret 6 and on the A string at fret 1, among other places.