B♭ major 7 (B♭maj7)

Also called A♯ major 7 (A♯maj7).

A major chord with an added major seventh. A soft, mellow sound, widely used in jazz, bossa nova and pop.

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, A.
Formula:: 1, 3, 5, 7.
Difficulty:: Intermediate.
Strings played:: 5 (from the A string).

Chord diagram

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

Other positions

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

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

Often played with

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

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

E♭ major 7IV

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

F7V

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

G minor 7vi