B flat 7 (B♭7) is a four-note chord: B♭, D, F and A♭. B♭ and A♭ are black keys; the other notes are white keys. On the keyboard above, the chord is lit starting in the octave of middle C, and Play chord lets you hear it.
How to find B♭7 on the keyboard
- B♭ is the last black key of a group of three.
- D is the white key between the two black keys of a pair.
- F is the white key just left of a group of three black keys.
- A♭ is the middle black key of a group of three.
Fingering
In root position, play B♭7 with the right hand using fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 (thumb, index, middle and little finger); with the left hand, use 5, 3, 2 and 1. Keep your wrist level and your fingers curved, and press the keys at the same moment so the chord sounds as one.
Inversions
The same notes can be stacked in a different order. Each inversion moves the lowest note up an octave.
- Root position, the root in the bass: B♭ – D – F – A♭. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
- First inversion, D in the bass: D – F – A♭ – B♭. Right hand 1-2-4-5 is a common choice, left hand 5-4-2-1 is a common choice.
- Second inversion, F in the bass: F – A♭ – B♭ – D. Right hand 1-2-4-5 is a common choice, left hand 5-4-2-1 is a common choice.
- Third inversion, A♭ in the bass: A♭ – B♭ – D – F. Right hand 1-2-4-5 is a common choice, left hand 5-4-2-1 is a common choice.
Chords that sit next to each other in a key often share one or two notes, so choosing the right inversion can keep your hand almost still when the chord changes.
How B♭7 is built
B♭7 has a B flat major triad (B♭, D and F) with a minor seventh on top, A♭, ten half steps above the root. The added seventh makes the chord restless. D and A♭ are six half steps apart, a tritone, and that tension pulls the chord toward E♭: the 3rd, D, tends to rise a half step and the 7th, A♭, to fall.
Keys that use B♭7
B♭7 belongs to these keys (the roman numeral shows its place in each):
- V7 in E♭ major
- V7 (harmonic minor) in E♭ minor
Progressions to try
- V7 – I: B♭7 → E♭. The strongest way to end a phrase in E♭ major.
- ii – V7 – I: Fm – B♭7 – E♭, the most common chord move in jazz.
- A 12-bar blues in B♭ uses dominant 7th chords on three roots: B♭7, E♭7, F7.
Play each chord for four beats and repeat the loop. The chord finder shows every chord in these progressions.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the B flat 7 chord?
B flat 7 (Bb7) is Bb, D, F and Ab: a B flat major triad plus the minor 7th, Ab. Bb and Ab are black keys.
How do you play Bb7 on the piano?
Put your right thumb on Bb and play D, F and Ab with fingers 2, 3 and 5, pressing all the keys together. With the left hand, use fingers 5, 3, 2 and 1.
What are the inversions of Bb7?
First inversion: D F Ab Bb; Second inversion: F Ab Bb D; Third inversion: Ab Bb D F. Each keeps the same notes and moves the lowest one to the top.
Where does Bb7 resolve?
Usually to Eb, the chord a fifth below. Bb7 is the V7 chord of Eb major and of Eb minor.
Which keys contain the B flat 7 chord?
Eb major (as V7), Eb minor (as V7).