How to Play B Minor (Bm) on Guitar: Three Easier Shapes, Then the Barre
Bm is usually the first barre chord a beginner needs, because songs in D and G use it constantly. Here is how to play something that works today, and how to get to the full shape.
The first two stages of Fretwork are free for as long as you like. No card needed.
In this guide
The full B minor chord is a barre chord: lay your index finger across the A to high e strings at the 2nd fret, then put your ring and little fingers on the D and G strings at the 4th fret and your middle finger on the B string at the 3rd fret. Low to high it is x 2 4 4 3 2.
If that sounds hard, it is. Bm is usually the first barre chord beginners meet, because the keys of D and G use it so often. The good news is that you do not have to wait until the barre is clean to play the songs. This guide gives you two easier shapes that work today, then a step-by-step route to the full chord.
Three ways to play Bm
| Shape | Frets (low E to high e) | Fingers | Difficulty (0–100) | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bm7 | x 2 0 2 0 2 | 3, no barre | 25 | Your first weeks; folk and pop strumming |
| Four-string Bm (Bm/F#) | x x 4 4 3 2 | 4, no barre | 37 | Lighter strumming; leads into the full shape |
| Barre Bm | x 2 4 4 3 2 | 4, barre across five strings | 62 | The full sound; what the song really uses |
Scores are from the Fretwork chord difficulty index, which measures stretch, fingers and barres for every shape.
Option 1: Bm7, no barre
Bm7 adds an A to the B minor chord, which gives it a softer, slightly open sound. Index finger on the A string, 2nd fret; middle finger on the G string, 2nd fret; ring finger on the high e string, 2nd fret; leave the D and B strings open. In a strummed song in D or G, almost nobody will notice the difference, and it is a fine chord in its own right.
Option 2: the four-string Bm
This shape takes the top four strings of the barre chord: x x 4 4 3 2. The index finger plays only the high e string at the 2nd fret, so there is no real barre. Strictly, its lowest note is F# (on the D string), so a chord chart would call it Bm/F#. In practice it sounds like Bm in a band or in a strummed song, and it trains exactly the finger pattern you need for the full chord.
Practice these chords with a timer and a plan
The free stages include one-minute chord-change drills and a ring test that checks every string is sounding clean. No card, no trial clock.
Option 3: the full barre, step by step
- Barre first, alone. Lay the index finger across the A to high e strings at the 2nd fret, close to the fret wire. Roll it slightly onto its bony edge (toward the headstock); the softer underside lets strings buzz.
- Pick each string with only the barre down. Fix the dead ones by moving the finger up or down a few millimetres so the creases of your finger are not on a string.
- Add the shape: ring finger on the D string, little finger on the G string (both 4th fret), middle finger on the B string, 3rd fret.
- Use the arm, not the thumb. Let the weight of your arm pull the guitar's neck back slightly. Squeezing with the thumb tires the hand fast.
- Strum from the A string. The low E string is not played; let the tip of your index finger touch it lightly to mute it.
The other Bm: 7th fret
The E-shape minor barre at the 7th fret (7 9 9 7 7 7) is also B minor, with a deeper bass. Because the frets are narrower up there, many players find it easier than the 2nd-fret shape, even though it is a full six-string barre.
Changes with Bm
| Change | Where you meet it | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| D to Bm | Key of D, I to vi | D to Bm |
| Bm to G | Key of D, vi to IV | Bm to G |
| A to Bm | Key of D, V to vi | A to Bm |
D, A, Bm and G is one of the most-used progressions in pop. Play it with Bm7 first, then swap in the barre once each change is clean at a slow tempo.
A two-week plan
- Week 1: play songs with Bm7 so you are making music now. Every day, spend two minutes on the barre alone, picking each string.
- Week 2: switch to the four-string Bm in songs; keep the two-minute barre drill and add one-minute changes from D to the barre Bm.
- When the barre rings on four of five strings, start using it in songs. The last string comes with time.
More help: barre chords for beginners, easy versions of hard chords and chords in the key of D.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an easy way to play B minor?
Yes. Bm7 (x 2 0 2 0 2) uses three fingers and no barre and works in most songs that call for Bm. The four-string shape (x x 4 4 3 2) is also common; strictly it has F# as its lowest note, but in a strummed song it sounds fine.
What notes are in a B minor chord?
B, D and F#. The barre shape at the 2nd fret plays B, F#, B, D and F# from the A string up.
Why is Bm so hard on guitar?
There is no open-string version of B minor that has all three notes with B in the bass, so the full chord needs a barre. On top of that it sits at the 2nd fret, where the frets are wide and the strings are stiffer than higher up.
What songs use B minor?
Bm is the vi chord in the key of D (D, G, A, Bm) and the iii chord in the key of G. Any song using D, A, Bm and G, a very common pop progression, needs it.
Pick up the guitar today. Pay nothing.
- Stages 0 and 1 free for as long as you like
- No credit card, no trial countdown
- A daily plan that tells you exactly what to practice
- Built-in tuner, metronome and chord library
- Left-handed mode included
Upgrade later only if you want the full path. Plans from $7.50 a month, billed yearly. See pricing