B♭ major (B♭)

Also called A♯ major (A♯).

A major chord: root, major third and fifth. A stable, bright sound.

There’s no open shape: it’s played as a barre chord, starting at the 1st fret. It’s the home chord of the key of B♭ major; you’ll also find it in F major and E♭ major.

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

Chord diagram

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

Other positions

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

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

Often played with

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

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

E♭ majorIV

e|--1--|
B|--1--|
G|--2--|
D|--3--|
A|--3--|
E|--1--|

F majorV

e|--3--|
B|--3--|
G|--3--|
D|--5--|
A|--5--|
E|--3--|

G minorvi