B♭6 chord on guitar

B♭6 is B♭, D, F and G. The easiest shape is x-1-0-0-3-1. Press Play to hear it, then try it at half speed.

x-1-0-0-3-1 · open · easy

Notes: B♭ · D · F · G
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · 6
First shape: x-1-0-0-3-1

How to play B♭6 on guitar

Shape 1, x-1-0-0-3-1, reading from the low E string on the left:

Put your index finger on the A string at the 1st fret, which is B♭.
Put your middle finger on the high E string at the 1st fret, which is F.
Put your ring finger on the B string at the 3rd fret, which is D.
The open D and G strings add D and G; don't touch them.
Skip the low E string and begin the strum from the A string.

Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.

Other ways to play B♭6

6-5-5-7-6-x: partial barre shape at the 5th fret, medium. Use it when the next chord sits nearby on the neck.
x-x-8-10-8-10: movable shape at the 8th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.
x-13-12-12-15-13: partial barre shape at the 12th fret, medium. A high voicing for when the low version is taken by another instrument.

B♭6 the capo way

No barre needed if a capo is allowed: capo on the 1st fret and play the open A6 shape (x-0-2-2-2-2), capo on the 3rd fret and play the open G6 shape (3-2-0-0-0-0) or capo on the 6th fret and play the open E6 shape (0-2-2-1-2-0). The chord sounds as B♭6 because the capo raises every string by a half step.

B♭6 chord changes

These are the changes you'll meet most often with B♭6, using the first shape of each chord.

E♭ (IV in B♭ major): B♭6 (x-1-0-0-3-1) to E♭ (x-x-1-3-4-3): the index finger slides across to the D string at the same fret, the middle finger goes to the G string, 3rd fret, the ring finger slides across to the high E string at the same fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 4th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. The two chords share B♭ and G, which is why the change sounds smooth. E♭ on guitar
F (V in B♭ major): B♭6 (x-1-0-0-3-1) to F (1-3-3-2-1-1): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 1st fret, the middle finger goes to the G string, 2nd fret, your ring finger lands on the A string, 3rd fret, the pinky finger comes down on the D string, 3rd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. F carries over from one chord to the other. F on guitar
Gm (vi in B♭ major): B♭6 (x-1-0-0-3-1) to Gm (3-5-5-3-3-3): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 3rd fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 5th fret, the ring finger goes to the D string, 5th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share B♭, D and G, which is why the change sounds smooth. Gm on guitar

B♭6 is B♭ major with a major sixth added. B♭6 is a vintage ending chord; hold it at the end of a swing or ballad tune instead of plain B♭. On guitar you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

Practice B♭6 in two minutes

Arpeggiate x-1-0-0-3-1 from the lowest string: B♭, D, G, D, F. Then strum it and listen for the same 5 notes together. Finish by moving between x-1-0-0-3-1 and 6-5-5-7-6-x to learn two positions of the same chord.

Written A♯6, it's the same chord with the same frets.

B♭6 in context

B♭6 on piano and ukulele

The same notes on another instrument: B♭6 on piano and B♭6 on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.

Related B♭ chords on guitar

Other major sixth chords

B♭6 on guitar: questions

What notes are in B♭6 on guitar?

B♭, D, F and G. In the x-1-0-0-3-1 shape the strings play B♭ (A string), D (D string, open), G (G string, open), D (B string) and F (high E string), so D is doubled.

What's the easiest way to play B♭6 on guitar?

x-1-0-0-3-1, the first shape on this page. It uses open strings, so there is no barre to press.

Is B♭6 a barre chord on guitar?

Not in its common form: x-1-0-0-3-1 needs no barre.

Which string does B♭6 start on?

In the x-1-0-0-3-1 shape the lowest string you play is the A string at the 1st fret, which is B♭, the root. Skip the low E string.

Every shape above plays only B♭, D, F and G, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.