Guitar chord · Barre shape · Standard tuning
B minor guitar chord (Bm)
Barre finger 1 across the 2nd fret, then finger 3 on the 4th fret of the D, finger 4 on the 4th fret of the G, finger 2 on the 3rd fret of the B. Don't play the low E string.
B – D – F♯
Loop strum: down, down-up, up-down-up on 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &.
Next moves
4 fingers, 5 strings, chart notation x24432. Tap the chord box to hear it strummed, then play it string by string to check every note is ringing cleanly.
How to play Bm
Finger numbers run 1 for the index to 4 for the little finger. String names are given as players say them — the low E is the thickest string (the 6th) and the high E is the thinnest (the 1st).
- 1st finger (index) — lies flat across the 2nd fret, covering 5 strings, from the A string up to the high E string
- 2nd finger (middle) — 3rd fret, B string
- 3rd finger (ring) — 4th fret, D string
- 4th finger (little) — 4th fret, G string
- Leave out: low E (6th) — start the strum below it, or damp it with the side of the thumb.
- Barre: 2nd fret, strings 5 down to 1. Place the other fingers first and add the barre last.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note it sounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th — low E | Not played | — | × |
| 5th — A | 2nd fret | 1 (index) | B |
| 4th — D | 4th fret | 3 (ring) | F♯ |
| 3rd — G | 4th fret | 4 (little) | B |
| 2nd — B | 3rd fret | 2 (middle) | D |
| 1st — high E | 2nd fret | 1 (index) | F♯ |
Notes and intervals in Bm
Bm is built from 3 notes: B, D and F♯.
- B — the root
- D — the minor 3rd
- F♯ — the perfect 5th
Across the six strings the shape sounds B · F♯ · B · D · F♯ from low to high, so some notes are doubled in different octaves — that is what gives an open guitar chord its width compared with the same chord on a keyboard.
What Bm is used for
B minor is the A-minor shape lifted two frets, with the index finger doing the nut's job. It is the ii chord in A major and the vi in D major, so it becomes unavoidable the moment you leave the open-chord keys — and it is where most players meet the barre. The barre itself only has to press the 5th and 1st strings; the three in the middle are covered by the other fingers.
Common mistakes with Bm
- Barring with the soft pad of the index finger. Roll it slightly onto its bony outside edge so the strings do not fall into the crease of the joint.
- Pulling with the arm instead of squeezing. Bring the elbow in and put the thumb behind the middle of the neck — with the thumb hooked over the top the barre cannot straighten out.
- Sounding the low E string. This shape has no 6th-string note, so let the tip of the index finger rest against it to keep it quiet.
A first strum pattern
Count “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &” — eighth notes (quavers). Strum down, down-up, up-down-up: down on 1, down on 2, up on the “&” of 2, up on the “&” of 3, down on 4, up on the “&” of 4. Keep your hand moving down and up all the time, and only touch the strings on the marked counts.
Start the strum loop above at 60–70 BPM and change chords on beat 1.
B minor FAQ
How do you play B minor on guitar?
Barre finger 1 across the 2nd fret, then finger 3 on the 4th fret of the D, finger 4 on the 4th fret of the G, finger 2 on the 3rd fret of the B. Don't play the low E string. In chart notation it is x24432, low E string first.
What notes are in B minor?
B, D and F♯: the root, the minor 3rd and the perfect 5th.
What chord comes after B minor?
Common changes from B minor: C major and C dominant 7. Practice the switch slowly with the strum loop, then speed it up.
Guitar chord data last updated . Every diagram here, in the printable PDF and in the chart image comes from one dataset, so the paper and the screen cannot disagree.