Learn which notes are part of the Bb major chord and how to play this chord in root position, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion on the piano.
What Does the Bb major Chord Look Like on the Piano?
The symbol of the Bb major chord is Bb.
The notes of the Bb chord are Bb – D – F.
The Bb chord is a triad because it has three notes: root (Bb), major third (D), and perfect fifth (F).
How to Play the Bb major Chord on the Piano?
The image below shows how to play the notes of the Bb major chord on the piano in root position:
You can see that the first note from the left is Bb (the root), the second note is D (the major third), and the third note is F (the perfect fifth).
What is the Root Note of the Bb major Chord?
Making the assumption that you are playing the Bb chord in root position the lowest note is Bb.
How Can You Remember the Bb Chord?
Here is how to remember the notes of the Bb major chord:
- Start from the first note of the chord (the root) that for the Bb major chord is Bb.
- To find the second note of the chord calculate a major third from the root (D).
- Then to find the third note of the chord calculate the perfect fifth from the root (F).
This applies if you are playing the Bb major chord in root position.
What is the 1st Inversion of the Bb major Chord?
The 1st inversion of the Bb chord starts with the note D.
The picture below shows how to play the notes of the Bb major chord on the piano in the first inversion:
In the 1st inversion, you shift the root of the Bb chord (Bb) up one octave compared to the root position.
The notes of the Bb chord in the 1st inversion are D – F – Bb.
How Do You Play the 2nd Inversion of the Bb major Chord?
The 2nd inversion of the Bb chord starts with the note F.
Below you can see how to play the notes of the second inversion of the Bb major chord on the piano:
In the 2nd inversion, you also shift the third of the Bb chord (D) up one octave.
The notes of the 2nd inversion of the Bb chord are F – Bb – D.
We have seen that the Bb has three notes (it is called a triad). For this reason, it cannot have a third inversion as this inversion would be the same as the root position.
Learn Other Bb Chords
The following articles show you how to play other Bb chords: