B♭7 (B♭7)

Also called A♯7 (A♯7).

A dominant seventh chord: a major chord with an added minor seventh. It creates tension that pulls toward the next chord.

There’s no open shape: it’s played as a barre chord, starting at the 1st fret. It pulls toward E♭ major: you hear it right before the return home in songs in E♭ major, and all over the blues.

Notes:: B♭, D, F, A♭.
Formula:: 1, 3, 5, ♭7.
Difficulty:: Intermediate.
Strings played:: 5 (from the A string).

Chord diagram

e|--1--|
B|--3--|
G|--1--|
D|--3--|
A|--1--|
E|--x--|

Other positions

e|--6--|
B|--6--|
G|--7--|
D|--6--|
A|--8--|
E|--6--|

Capo tip: put the capo at the 1st fret and play the A7 shape: you hear B♭7, with no barre.The capo

Often played with

The chords in its key, the ones you hear most often around B♭7.

e|--6--|
B|--8--|
G|--8--|
D|--8--|
A|--6--|
E|--x--|

E♭ majorresolution

e|--4--|
B|--4--|
G|--5--|
D|--6--|
A|--6--|
E|--4--|

A♭ majorIV of the key

e|--1--|
B|--1--|
G|--1--|
D|--3--|
A|--3--|
E|--1--|

F minorii of the key