Construction
B Minor 7th = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th = B, D, F♯, A
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| B | Root | 1 |
| D | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| F♯ | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| A | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
How to Play the B Minor 7th
Right Hand (RH)
Place your right hand over the keys with the thumb on the root. Use the fingering: 1 – 2 – 3 – 5
Left Hand (LH)
For the left hand, start with your pinky on the root. Use the fingering: 5 – 3 – 2 – 1
B Minor 7th Inversions
- Root positionB – D – F♯ – A
- 1st inversion (Bm7/D)D – F♯ – A – B
- 2nd inversion (Bm7/F♯)F♯ – A – B – D
- 3rd inversion (Bm7/A)A – B – D – F♯
Same Notes, Other Names
The notes B – D – F♯ – A aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:
B Minor 7th : Frequently Asked Questions
What is the B Minor 7th chord on piano?
The B Minor 7th chord contains the notes B – D – F♯ – A. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the B Minor 7th chord?
The B Minor 7th chord (Bm7) contains four notes: B (root), D (minor third), F# (perfect fifth), and A (minor seventh). The minor triad with minor seventh gives this chord its smooth, introspective quality.
How does B Minor 7th differ from B Dominant 7th?
Both have B as root and A as seventh. The difference is the third: Bm7 has D (minor third) while B7 has D# (major third). Bm7 sounds smooth and melancholy; B7 sounds bright and drives toward E Major.
How is B Minor 7th used in music?
Bm7 is the ii chord in A Major (Bm7–E7–Amaj7) and the iii chord in G Major. It appears frequently in pop, rock, and folk music. Bm7 is also common in acoustic singer-songwriter contexts where A and G Major are popular keys.
What genres commonly use Minor 7th chords?
Minor 7th chords are essential in jazz, R&B, neo-soul, soul, funk, lo-fi hip-hop, and bossa nova. Bm7 also appears heavily in pop, rock, and folk because A Major and G Major are common guitar keys.
What songs use Minor 7th chords?
Minor 7th chords appear throughout Autumn Leaves, So What (Miles Davis), and countless pop songs. Bm7 is especially common in acoustic pop and folk-rock where it serves as the ii chord in A Major.
What is the ii–V–I progression?
The ii–V–I is the most important jazz progression: Bm7 (ii) → E7 (V) → Amaj7 (I) in A Major. This appears in both jazz standards and pop music.