Chords in the key of Bb major
The key of Bb major has seven diatonic chords: Bb, CmCmCmCm, DmDmDmDm, Eb, F, GmGmGmGm and A°. As sevenths: Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7, Cm7Cm7Cm7Cm7, Dm7Dm7Dm7Dm7, Ebmaj7Ebmaj7Ebmaj7Ebmaj7, F7F7F7F7, Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm7 and Am7b5. They come from the Bb major scale, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G and A, one on each note.
The table shows each chord in two versions: the triad (the three-note chord) and the seventh chord (the same chord with a fourth note, the seventh, that enriches it).
Notes: Bb – C – D – Eb – F – G – A| Degree | Triad | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | BbBbBbBb | Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7 | tonic |
| ii | CmCmCmCm | Cm7Cm7Cm7Cm7 | subdominant |
| iii | DmDmDmDm | Dm7Dm7Dm7Dm7 | tonic |
| IV | EbEbEbEb | Ebmaj7Ebmaj7Ebmaj7Ebmaj7 | subdominant |
| V | FFFF | F7F7F7F7 | dominant |
| vi | GmGmGmGm | Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm7 | tonic |
| vii° | A° | Am7b5 | dominant |
The roman numerals mark the chord's position in the scale: I is the first degree, V the fifth. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor; ° = diminished.
Tonic chords stabilize and rest; subdominant chords prepare motion; dominant chords build the tension that asks for resolution.