B Minor 7th
2nd FretThe standard Bm7 — Am7-shape barre at the 2nd fret. Barre fret 2 with the index across the A, D, G, B, and high e strings; ring on D fret 4, middle on B fret 3. Mute the low E. The most widely used Bm7 voicing.
B Minor 7th
7th FretEm7-shape barre at the 7th fret. Barre fret 7 with the index across all six strings, then ring on A fret 9. A full, resonant Bm7 voicing with the root on the low E string.
B Minor 7th
9th FretA compact 4-string D-shape voicing with the root on the D string at fret 9. Index on D fret 9 (root), pinky on G fret 11 (5th), ring on B fret 10 (minor 7th), middle on high e fret 10 (minor 3rd). Strum the top four strings only — no barre.
B Minor 7th
2nd FretCompact three-note voicing on the top strings — minor 7th on G fret 2, minor 3rd on B fret 3, 5th on high e fret 2. Only three fingers, no barre. Great for fast comping and quiet rhythm work — and the lowest-position Bm7 voicing.
B Minor 7th
14th FretThe 2nd-fret Am7-shape barre moved one octave up — barre fret 14 with the index, ring on D fret 16, middle on B fret 15. Bright and cutting for high-register chord work.
Tips for Playing the Bm7 Chord
Start with the Am7-shape barre
The x-2-4-2-3-2 shape at fret 2 is the standard Bm7 — and easier than the full B minor barre because the G string drops to the barre fret. Master this shape first.
Use the top-string voicing for beginners
The x-x-x-2-3-2 shape on G, B, and high e is the easiest Bm7. Just three fingers, no barre — perfect when you are still building barre strength.
Mute the low E cleanly
Most Bm7 voicings skip the low E. Let the side of your index finger lightly touch the low E to mute it as you strum.
Bm7 in the ii–V–I
Bm7 → E7 → Amaj7 is the classic ii–V–I in A major — one of the most guitar-friendly jazz keys. Practising this cycle is essential for jazz comping.
Common in pop and rock
Bm7 appears constantly in A major and D major pop songs. The progression Bm7 → A → D → G is a staple of modern songwriting.
Slide between m7 shapes
Bm7 (fret 2 Am7-shape) and A#m7 (fret 1 Am7-shape) use the same shape — practise sliding the barre one fret at a time to build m7 fluency around the neck.
About the Bm7 Chord on Guitar
The Bm7 chord is built from four notes: B (the root), D (the minor 3rd), F# (the perfect 5th), and A (the minor 7th). It is the B minor triad with an added flat 7th, giving the chord a smooth, mellow, slightly melancholy character. Because the B, D, and F# require fretted notes (and the open B must be muted or doubled), every Bm7 voicing depends on at least one barre or moveable fingering — but the standard Am7-shape barre at fret 2 (x-2-4-2-3-2) is actually easier than the full Bm barre because the G string drops to the barre fret. Bm7 functions as the ii chord in A major (one of the guitar-friendliest keys for jazz and pop), the iii chord in G major, the vi chord in D major, and the i chord in B minor, appearing constantly in jazz, blues, rock, pop, and acoustic singer-songwriter music. This page covers five voicings, from the standard Am7-shape barre at fret 2 to a high-register barre an octave up. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 Bm7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Am7-shape barre, Em7-shape barre, 4-string D-shape, top-string voicing, and high-register barre
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
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Chord Tones
The 4 notes that form the B Minor 7th chord and their role in the major scale.
Every minor 7th chord follows this same formula — root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.