Bb major chords, relative minor and Camelot code (6B)
B♭ major has 2 flats (B♭, E♭). Its chords are B♭, Cm, Dm, E♭, F, Gm and A°. The relative minor is G minor and the Camelot code is 6B, so it mixes cleanly with 5B, 7B and 6A.
Notes in the B♭ major scale
B♭ major has 2 flats (B♭, E♭). It sounds identical to A♯ major, which is the same set of pitches spelled differently; B♭ major is the usual spelling.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B♭ | C | D | E♭ | F | G | A |
Chords in B♭ major
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get the seven chords that belong to the key:
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I | B♭ | B♭ · D · F |
| ii | Cm | C · E♭ · G |
| iii | Dm | D · F · A |
| IV | E♭ | E♭ · G · B♭ |
| V | F | F · A · C |
| vi | Gm | G · B♭ · D |
| vii° | A° | A · C · E♭ |
Common progressions in B♭ major
- B♭ – F – Gm – E♭ (I–V–vi–IV): the most used pop progression of the last forty years.
- B♭ – Gm – E♭ – F (I–vi–IV–V): the 1950s doo-wop turnaround.
- Cm – F – B♭ (ii–V–I): the jazz cadence.
- Gm – E♭ – B♭ – F (vi–IV–I–V): the same four chords as I–V–vi–IV, started on the minor chord for a darker feel.
Keys that mix with B♭ major
B♭ major is 6B on the Camelot wheel. For a clean blend, go to a key next to it:
| Camelot | Key | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 5B | E♭ major | One step round the wheel: shares six of its seven notes |
| 7B | F major | One step the other way: also shares six of seven notes |
| 6A | G minor | The relative minor: exactly the same notes |
How the wheel works is in the Camelot wheel explained, and how to use it in a set is in harmonic mixing for DJs.
Relative and parallel keys
The relative minor, G minor, uses exactly the same notes with a different home chord. The parallel minor, B♭ minor, keeps B♭ as home but changes three notes. More on the difference in relative major and minor keys.
Questions people ask
What chords are in B♭ major?
B♭ (I), Cm (ii), Dm (iii), E♭ (IV), F (V), Gm (vi) and A° (vii°).
What is the relative minor of B♭ major?
G minor. It uses the same 7 notes, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A, but centres on G instead of B♭.
What is the Camelot code for B♭ major?
6B. In Open Key notation it is 11d.
What keys mix well with B♭ major?
E♭ major (5B), F major (7B) and G minor (6A). They sit next to 6B on the Camelot wheel.
How many sharps or flats does B♭ major have?
2 flats (B♭, E♭).