B♭, major chord
B♭, D and F
- Root
- B♭
- Major third
- D
- Perfect fifth
- F
Formula
1 3 5 (4, 7 half steps above B♭)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | B♭ | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
B♭ major inversions
B♭ major has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
B♭
Root position
| Notes | B♭ | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
B♭/D
First inversion
| Notes | D | F | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
B♭/F
Second inversion
| Notes | F | B♭ | D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with B♭ major
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. B♭ major appears as:
- I in B♭ major
- IV in F major
- V in E♭ major
- VI in D minor
- V in E♭ minor
- III in G minor
- VII in C minor
How B♭ major is built
B♭ is the root, D the major third and F the perfect fifth.
A major chord is a root, the major third 4 half steps above it and the perfect fifth 7 half steps above it. Lower the middle note by one key and B♭ major becomes B♭ minor.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of B♭ major are B, D, F. That is why it is spelled B♭, D and F.
Find B♭ major yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of B♭ major, in any octave and any order.
Practice B♭ major in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the B♭ major chord?
B♭ major (B♭) has three notes: B♭, D and F. B♭ is the root, D the major third and F the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for B♭ major on piano?
In root position, play B♭, D and F with right hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of B♭ major?
B♭ major has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (B♭/D): D, F and B♭. Second inversion (B♭/F): F, B♭ and D.
Is B♭ major the same as A♯ major?
On the piano, yes: they use the same keys. They are written differently, because a chord takes every other letter: B♭ major is B♭, D and F and A♯ major is A♯, C𝄪 and E♯. B♭ major is the usual name: its key has 2 flats, while A♯ major would need 10 sharps, more than any written key has.