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Bb major 7th chord

Bbmaj7 · 4 notes · chord

A note a semitone below the octave makes it soft and languid — the colour of city pop and ballads.

On the keyboard

DFADFA
NotesBb · D · F · A
Semitones0 · 4 · 7 · 11
Chord symbolBbmaj7
Frequency466.16 Hz

How to read this

  • The notes come from how many semitones they sit above the root — major is 0·4·7, minor is 0·3·7.
  • On the keyboard diagram the filled keys are the notes of the chord, lowest on the left.
  • Press play and it sounds the real frequencies. The audio is generated in your browser; nothing is downloaded.
  • Note names differ by country: German writes H for B, while Spanish and French say Do, Re, Mi.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What notes are in the Bb major 7th chord?

Bb · D · F · A — 4 notes, sitting 0·4·7·11 semitones above the root. On a chart it is written Bbmaj7.

Q. What does the Bb major 7th chord sound like?

A note a semitone below the octave makes it soft and languid — the colour of city pop and ballads.

Q. What is the frequency of the lowest note?

Taking the lowest note in the fourth octave gives 466.16 Hz, in equal temperament with A4 at 440 Hz. An octave up doubles it.

Q. How do I move it to another root?

Keep the semitone spacing (0·4·7·11) and shift the root. The list below jumps straight to the same chord on the other eleven roots.

Q. How do I read the keyboard diagram?

The filled keys are the notes. Low notes are on the left, and the black keys carry the sharps and flats. Shapes that use only white keys are the easiest ones to try first.

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