Bm7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)
From the bass on the 5th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios
Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.
The notes of Bm7 are B, D, F# and A. B is the root, D the minor third, F# the fifth and A the minor seventh. Said aloud, its notes are B, D, F sharp and A.
String by string, low to high, it plays B, F#, A, D and F#. F# appears twice in the main shape, and it is the chord's fifth. It runs from B on string 5 up to F# on string 1.
For Bm7, your index finger barres fret 2. String 6 is not played. Your hand covers three frets, from 2 to 4. There is one more position, starting at fret 2.
Change only string 3 in Bm7 and you have Bm. Inside Bm7 sits a complete D chord, made of D, F# and A. D shares three positions with this shape.
Bm7 shows up in five keys. In D major it is the vi, in A major the ii and in G major the iii. The rest appear in the key list.
B 1D ♭3F# 5A ♭7
Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 2 (B)
String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted
Placement tip: Barre fret 2. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 4, 2nd String (B) at fret 3. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 2 with your Ring finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 2 with your Pinky finger. Play open: 4th String (D), 2nd String (B). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 2 to 4 |
| Barre | fret 2, from the 5th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 3 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 2, only the barre sounds the 5th, 3rd, and 1st strings.
Listen: Bm7 → Bm · D · F#m
Bm7 sits in the scale of 5 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Bm7 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.
The primary bass note of the Bm7 chord is its root note: B. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 2.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Bm7 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 formula (Minor Seventh). Its constituent pitches are B, D, F#, A.
To prevent fret buzz on the Bm7 barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
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