What notes are in the Bb7 chord?

Bb7 is made of Bb, D, F and Ab — the 1, 3, 5 and b7 degrees of a seventh chord built on Bb.

What keys use the Bb7 chord?

Every note of Bb7 belongs to 2 keys: Eb Major (V), C Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.

How do you play Bb7 on guitar and piano?

This page shows Bb7 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 11 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is Bb7 the same as A#7?

Yes. Bb7 and A#7 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Bb7 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · Bb Dominant 7th

B♭7 Chord

B♭7 is Bb, D, F and Ab — tense; wants to resolve down a fifth. Blues and jazz workhorse.

Hear it

B♭7 on every instrument

The same 4 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

What B♭7 is made of

Bb Dominant 7th (Bb dominant 7th) is built from the notes Bb, D, F, Ab, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, b7. A common dominant 7th chord across many styles.

Stack 1, 3, 5 and b7 on a root of B♭ and you get Bb, D, F and Ab. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a seventh chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C7 sounds like a transposed B♭7.

Dominant 7th: Tense; wants to resolve down a fifth. Blues and jazz workhorse.

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♭7

All 4 notes sit inside the scale of 2 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Major keys

E♭ Majorrooted on the V

Minor keys

C Minorrooted on the VII

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 seventh shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

C7C Dominant 7th D7D Dominant 7th E7E Dominant 7th F7F Dominant 7th G7G Dominant 7th A7A Dominant 7th B7B Dominant 7th F♯7F# Dominant 7th

Questions people ask about Bb7

What notes are in the Bb7 chord?: Bb7 is made of Bb, D, F and Ab — the 1, 3, 5 and b7 degrees of a seventh chord built on Bb.
What keys use the Bb7 chord?: Every note of Bb7 belongs to 2 keys: Eb Major (V), C Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Bb7 on guitar and piano?: This page shows Bb7 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 11 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Bb7 the same as A#7?: Yes. Bb7 and A#7 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Bb7 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why B♭7 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 Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineWhat a seventh chord is for — tension, resolution, and the seat it takes in the key.6 min read The 12-Bar Blues — Three Chords, A Century of HitsSeventh chords are the whole sound of the blues. Twelve bars is where to hear it.7 min read