To make it easier on your wrist and fingers you can substitute a Bb5 chord. This one is a little more difficult because you have to fret the chord so close to the headstock, which requires more pressure to make it sound clean. Strum four strings down from the A string. Ring finger on the 3rd fret of the B (2nd) string Ring finger on the 3rd fret of the G (3rd) string Ring finger on the 3rd fret of the D (4th) string Index finger on the 1st fret of the A (5th) string The other common way to play this chord is in the 1st position and uses the A shape, like this: Strum all six strings down from the low E string. Pinky finger on the 8th fret of the D (4th) string

Ring finger on the 8th fret of the A (5th) string Middle finger on the 7th fret of the G (3rd) string Index finger on the 6th fret of the high E (1st) string Index finger on the 6th fret of the B (2nd) string Index finger on the 6th fret of the low E (6th) string The first way to play the Bb Major chord is in the 6th position and uses the E shape, which looks like this: Once you get them under your fingers ,you'll wonder how you ever got along without them. So before we can look at some easier variations, let's look at these two shapes. You may have been avoiding them until this point, but there's no getting around it now because the two most common ways to the play a Bb use barre chords. These are the five stages a beginner guitarist goes through when learning how to play barre chords. How to Play the Bb chordĭenial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Several chart-topping classics feature the Bb chord: The Yardbirds' ' Heart Full of Soul' and ' White Room' by Cream.Īlso check out ' Magic Man' by Heart or metal head bangers like ' Holy Diver' by Dio. It shows up in '80s new wave like the melodic ' Don't Dream It's Over' by Crowded House and acoustic rock hits like ' All I Want' by Toad the Wet Sprocket. Listen for the Bb chord in pop oldies such as ' Good Vibrations' by the Beach Boys or the soulful ' Now That We Found Love' by the O'Jays. From classic rock standards to new wave hits, the Bb chord is featured in countless well-known songs.

B flat guitar chord