Skip to content
StrumlySign in
← All 24 keys

Chords in the Key of Bb Major

Every diatonic triad and seventh chord in Bb major, with the progressions built from them. Free. No sign-up.

Key facts

Key signature
two flats (Bb and Eb)
Scale notes
Bb · C · D · Eb · F · G · A
Relative minor
G Minor
Parallel minor
Bb Minor

Diatonic triads

The seven diatonic triads in Bb Major
DegreeChordQualityNotes
IBbmajorBb · D · F
iiCmminorC · Eb · G
iiiDmminorD · F · A
IVEbmajorEb · G · Bb
VFmajorF · A · C
viGmminorG · Bb · D
vii°AdimdiminishedA · C · Eb

Seventh chords

Stack one more scale tone on each triad and you get the seventh chords — same key, more color.

The seven diatonic seventh chords in Bb Major
DegreeChordQualityNotes
Imaj7Bbmaj7major 7thBb · D · F · A
ii7Cm7minor 7thC · Eb · G · Bb
iii7Dm7minor 7thD · F · A · C
IVmaj7Ebmaj7major 7thEb · G · Bb · D
V7F7dominant 7thF · A · C · Eb
vi7Gm7minor 7thG · Bb · D · F
viiø7Am7b5half-diminishedA · C · Eb · G

Common progressions in Bb major

  • I–V–vi–IV

    Bb – F – Gm – Eb

    The four-chord pop loop — a huge share of modern radio runs on it.

  • I–IV–V

    Bb – Eb – F

    The three-chord workhorse behind blues, folk, and early rock and roll.

  • ii–V–I

    Cm – F – Bb

    The jazz cadence — the strongest pull back home in the key.

  • I–vi–IV–V

    Bb – Gm – Eb – F

    The '50s doo-wop turnaround, still everywhere in ballads.

How the key of Bb major works

Bb Major carries two flats (Bb and Eb). The scale runs Bb–C–D–Eb–F–G–A, and stacking every other note of that scale builds the seven chords above — every chord tone comes from those same seven notes.

G Minor is the relative minor: identical key signature, identical seven chords. A song that treats Gm — the vi chord here — as home base is in G minor, even though its chord inventory matches this page exactly.

The parallel minor, Bb Minor, keeps the same root but flattens the third, sixth, and seventh — its signature shifts to five flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db and Gb). Borrowing chords across that line is where a lot of songwriting color comes from.

Keep practicing

Knowing the chords in Bb major is the map; the coach watches you play them and tells you what to fix. Start coaching →