Bm to G chord change
Your index finger stays down; your middle finger and ring finger lift and move; your little finger comes off. Your strumming hand changes too: Bm starts on the A string, G uses all six strings.
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger. o means play the string open, ✕ means don’t play it.
Finger by finger
- Lifts and movesMiddle finger (2) lifts and moves from the B string, 3rd fret to the low E string, 3rd fret.
- Lifts and movesRing finger (3) lifts and moves from the D string, 4th fret to the high e string, 3rd fret.
- Lifts offLittle finger (4) lifts off (it was on the G string, 4th fret).
| Finger | On Bm | On G | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Index finger (1) | barre across the A to high e strings, 2nd fret | A string, 2nd fret | Stays, barre lifts |
| Middle finger (2) | B string, 3rd fret | low E string, 3rd fret | Lifts and moves |
| Ring finger (3) | D string, 4th fret | high e string, 3rd fret | Lifts and moves |
| Little finger (4) | G string, 4th fret | not used | Lifts off |
How to practise Bm to G
- Play Bm and pick each string on its own. Fix any string that buzzes before you start changing.
- Find your anchor: keep the index finger pressed down the whole time. It holds your hand in place, so the other fingers only have a short trip.
- Lead with the middle finger. In G it plays the lowest note (the low E string, 3rd fret), which is the first string you strum, so aim it there first and let the other fingers follow.
- Do “ghost changes”: switch from Bm to G and back 20 times without strumming. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, and land them all together.
- Now strum: four strums on Bm, four on G. When that is clean, try two strums each, then one.
- Time yourself with the trainer below: one minute, counting every clean change. Do it once a day and watch the number climb.
An easier way to play it
Bm7 to G (Bm7, no barre): the index finger stays down. This version sounds a little different from Bm to G, because Bm7 replaces Bm. It works well in many songs, but check that it suits the one you are playing.
- Stays putIndex finger (1) stays put on the A string, 2nd fret.
- Lifts and movesMiddle finger (2) lifts and moves from the G string, 2nd fret to the low E string, 3rd fret.
One-minute Bm to G trainer
Press Start, hold Bm through the count-in, then change back and forth for one minute. Tap the big button (or press the space bar) every time you land a clean chord. Your best score is kept.
Want other chords? Open the full chord change trainer.
Songs to use it in
None of the songs in our free library change straight from Bm to G yet, but these use G, so the shape will come in handy.
Bm to G: questions
Which finger stays down when you change from Bm to G?
Your index finger stays on the same spot in both chords, so it anchors your hand while the other fingers move.
How do I change from Bm to G faster?
Practise the change on its own, not inside a song. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, land them all at once, and lead with the finger that has the longest trip. Then do one minute of changes a day with a timer and count them. If it still feels slow, try the easier version: Bm7 to G.
How many Bm to G changes a minute is good?
Count every clean change: Bm to G is one, and back again is two. Around 30 in a minute is a solid start and enough for slow songs. At 40 most songs at a relaxed tempo start to flow, and at about 60 (one change a second) the change is ready for almost anything.
What songs use Bm and G?
Bm to G is vi to IV in the key of D, from the D, A, Bm, G loop.
Is G to Bm the same as Bm to G?
It uses the same moves in reverse, and the index finger still stays put. Practise both directions: the trainer counts each switch either way.
More chord changes
Learn the chords in the right order
Fretwork’s lessons teach one chord at a time, with a ring test and a one-minute change check before you move on. The first two stages are free.