B minor 7th chord on piano
The B minor 7th chord is B–D–F#–A. Tap the keys below to hear it.
Bm7B · D · F# · A
Tap the keys to hear them
Bm7 is the ii chord of A major and a fixture of pop verse progressions. The A on top softens the B minor triad into something closer to wistful than sad.
How the B minor 7th chord is built
Fingerings & inversions
Standard fingerings use the thumb (1), the little finger (5), and either the index (2) or middle finger (3). Hand size and musical context change what feels natural. Switch Fingers on above to see 1-2-3-5 land for Bm7.
| Position | Notes (bottom → top) | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | B – D – F# – A | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 1st inversion | D – F# – A – B | 1-2-4-5 | 5-4-2-1 |
| 2nd inversion | F# – A – B – D | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 3rd inversion | A – B – D – F# | 1-2-4-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
Inversion diagrams
The inversion buttons above play all 4 shapes of Bm7.
Where Bm7 shows up
Bm7 is built on B minor, the relative minor of D major. The key of B minor has two sharps. Bm7 works as the ii7 in A and the iii7 in G, the roles that put it at the front of jazz and soul progressions.
Jazz players know it as the start of Bm7–E7–Amaj7, the ii–V–I in A major.
Common questions
What notes are in the B minor 7th chord?
The B minor 7th chord is made up of B, D, F#, A. F#, the black key between F and G, is the only raised note in the shape; B and D and A stay white.
What fingers should I use to play Bm7 on piano?
In root position, the standard fingering is 1-2-3-5 in the right hand and 5-3-2-1 in the left hand (1 = thumb, 5 = little finger). Bm7 puts finger 3 on F#, the chord's only black key.
What are the seventh chords in the key of B minor?
Building a seventh on each degree of the B natural minor scale gives Bm7, C#m7b5, Dmaj7, Em7, F#m7, Gmaj7, A7. Bm7 is the home chord of the set.
When should I play Bm7 instead of B minor?
Bm7 is the B minor triad with A added on top, so the two swap freely. The seventh takes the edge off the minor sound; use the plain triad when you want the sadness undiluted.
More B chords
Reviewed by
Composer, arranger and music educator. BA Music (LIPA), MA Composition (University of Salford).
Last updated 2026-08-19