What notes are in the Bb/3 chord?

Bb/3 is made of D, F and Bb — the 3, 5 and 1 degrees of a major first inversion chord built on Bb.

What keys use the Bb/3 chord?

Every note of Bb/3 belongs to 6 keys: F Major (IV), Bb Major (I), Eb Major (V), D Minor (VI), G Minor (III), C Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.

How do you play Bb/3 on guitar and piano?

This page shows Bb/3 on piano — 1 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is Bb/3 the same as A#/3?

Yes. Bb/3 and A#/3 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Bb/3 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · Bb Major (1st Inversion)

B♭/3 Chord

B♭/3 is D, F and Bb — major triad with the third in the bass.

Hear it

B♭/3 on every instrument

The same 3 notes, 1 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

Piano1 voicing

What B♭/3 is made of

Bb Major (1st Inversion) (Bb major (1st inversion)) is built from the notes D, F, Bb, with the interval pattern 3, 5, 1. A common major (1st inversion) chord across many styles.

Stack 3, 5 and 1 on a root of B♭ and you get D, F and Bb. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major first inversion chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why E/3 sounds like a transposed B♭/3.

Major (1st Inversion): Major triad with the third in the bass.

Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with B♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain B♭/3

All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 6 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Major keys

Minor keys

Other chords on B♭

Same root, different colour.

B♭Bb Major B♭mBb Minor B♭dimBb Diminished B♭augBb Augmented B♭sus2Bb Suspended 2nd B♭sus4Bb Suspended 4th B♭5Bb Power Chord B♭6Bb Major 6th

The same major first inversion shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

E/3E Major (1st Inversion)F/3F Major (1st Inversion)A/3A Major (1st Inversion)B/3B Major (1st Inversion)F♯/3F# Major (1st Inversion)D♭/3Db Major (1st Inversion)E♭/3Eb Major (1st Inversion)A♭/3Ab Major (1st Inversion)

Questions people ask about Bb/3

What notes are in the Bb/3 chord?: Bb/3 is made of D, F and Bb — the 3, 5 and 1 degrees of a major first inversion chord built on Bb.
What keys use the Bb/3 chord?: Every note of Bb/3 belongs to 6 keys: F Major (IV), Bb Major (I), Eb Major (V), D Minor (VI), G Minor (III), C Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Bb/3 on guitar and piano?: This page shows Bb/3 on piano — 1 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Bb/3 the same as A#/3?: Yes. Bb/3 and A#/3 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Bb/3 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why B♭/3 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Barre Chords — The Wall Every Guitarist ClimbsThis one asks for a barre. The article is the fix for the buzzing and the aching hand.7 min read Chord Inversions and Slash Chords — Same Notes, Different AttitudeSame notes, different bass note — what the slash in the name is actually doing.5 min read Voice Leading — Hold What You Can, Move Only What You MustInversions exist so your fingers move less between chords. This is the technique behind them.6 min read