Bm, minor chord
B, D and F♯
- Root
- B
- Minor third
- D
- Perfect fifth
- F♯
Formula
1 ♭3 5 (3, 7 half steps above B)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | B | D | F♯ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
B minor inversions
B minor 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.
Bm
Root position
| Notes | B | D | F♯ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Bm/D
First inversion
| Notes | D | F♯ | B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Bm/F♯
Second inversion
| Notes | F♯ | B | D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with B minor
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. B minor appears as:
- i in B minor
- vi in D major
- ii in A major
- iii in G major
- iv in F♯ minor
- v in E minor
How B minor is built
B is the root, D the minor third and F♯ the perfect fifth.
A minor chord is a root, the minor third 3 half steps above it and the perfect fifth 7 half steps above it. Raise the middle note by one key and B minor becomes B major.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of B minor are B, D, F. That is why it is spelled B, D and F♯.
Find B minor 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 minor, in any octave and any order.
Practice B minor 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 minor chord?
B minor (Bm) has three notes: B, D and F♯. B is the root, D the minor third and F♯ the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for B minor 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 minor?
B minor has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Bm/D): D, F♯ and B. Second inversion (Bm/F♯): F♯, B and D.
What key is B minor in?
B minor is i in B minor, its home key. It also appears as vi in D major, ii in A major, iii in G major, iv in F♯ minor and v in E minor.