B Minor Chord (Bm) on Piano
The Bm chord (B minor) is built from 3 notes: B – D – F#.
Play these notes on a MIDI keyboard, your computer keyboard, or the on-screen keys and ChordKeys will name the chord back to you.
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from B | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 1 | root | 0 |
| D | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| F# | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
Inversions
Rearranging which note sits at the bottom gives you 3 playable voicings of the same chord. Inversions let you move between chords with less hand movement.
| Voicing | Notes | Bass note |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | B – D – F# | B in the bass |
| 1st inversion | D – F# – B | D in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | F# – B – D | F# in the bass |
How the minor chord is built
Every minor chord uses the same interval formula: 1 (0 semitones), b3 (3 semitones), 5 (7 semitones). Starting on B and applying that formula produces B, D, F#. Learn the formula once and you can build a minor chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain Bm
Every note of Bm belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on B
Minor chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Bm chord?
A Bm chord contains the notes B, D, F#. Those are the 1, b3, 5 degrees measured from the root note B.
How do you play Bm on piano?
Place your thumb on B, then add D and F# above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–3–5.