Most common
Barre at 2nd fret
The A minor shape barred at the second fret. The low E string stays out of the chord.
NotesB · D · F#
Fret spanFrets 2–4
DifficultyHard
Best forAll players
Bm Chord on Guitar
Three ways to play B minor: the A-minor-shape barre at the second fret, the E-minor-shape barre at the seventh, and a three-string version for songs you want to play today.
Often easier
Barre at 7th fret
The E minor shape at the seventh fret. Only three fingers are involved and the frets are narrower.
NotesB · D · F#
Fret spanFrets 7–9
DifficultyHard
Best forFull sound without the stretch
No barre
Three-string Bm
The same three notes on the top three strings, one finger per string. Enough to keep a song moving.
NotesB · D · F#
Fret spanFrets 2–4
DifficultyModerate
Best forBeginners
Compare all 3 fingerings
Every card below is the printable file itself, at full size on the page. Choose the shape that fits your hand and the chord that comes next, then print or download it on its own.
What notes are in B minor?
Chord tones
BDF#
B is the root, D is the minor third, and F# is the perfect fifth. Every shape on this page sounds those notes and nothing else; only the order and the octave change.
Common keys
B minorD majorA majorG major
Bm belongs to all four of these keys, which is why it turns up so often in songs that never mention it in the title.
About the Bm chord
B minor is the chord that ends a lot of beginner sessions early. There is no open shape, so the standard grip is the A-minor shape barred at the second fret: index across five strings, ring and little finger in the fourth fret, middle finger in the third. Everything has to arrive at once, and it usually takes a few weeks. The three-string version holds the same three notes and lets you keep the song going in the meantime. Further up the neck the E-minor-shape barre at the seventh fret is often the easier of the two full grips, because the fret spacing is tighter.
Find Bm in these printable sheets
Practise the chord in context, then take the blank sheets to write down the shapes a teacher shows you.
Guitar Chord Chart 12 essential guitar chords. Print the full chart or save it for later. View chart → Blank Chord Chart Empty diagrams to fill in by hand, 6, 12 or 24 to a page. View sheet → Power Chords Chart Eight shapes, and the two movable ones that cover the whole neck. View sheet → Printable Chord Chart Every sheet on the site as a PDF, ready for A4 or US Letter. View sheet → Pentatonic Scale Chart The five box shapes in any key, with the frets you actually play. View sheet → Guitar Scales Chart Five scales across the whole neck, roots marked, in any key. View sheet →
Learn these next
The other chords with more than one shape worth knowing.
Frequently asked questions
Which Bm fingering should a beginner use?
Three-string Bm. The same three notes on the top three strings, one finger per string. Enough to keep a song moving. Once it lands cleanly every time, the other shapes on this page are worth adding, because each one buys you something different.
Why are there several ways to play the same chord?
They contain the same notes, B, D, F#, but they put your hand in different places. Which one is right depends on the chord you are moving to next and on how much of the neck the song uses, not on which one is "correct".
Is the Bm barre shape worth learning?
Yes, because it moves. The E minor shape at the seventh fret. Only three fingers are involved and the frets are narrower. The grip costs more up front and then keeps paying for itself in every key.
Which strings do I strum for Bm?
Leave the low E string out and start the strum from the A string. The X above the nut marks every string that stays silent.
Can I print just one shape?
Yes. Each shape has its own Print button and its own printable card, so you can put a single fingering on the wall instead of the whole page. The PNG download is the same image at 1000 × 1500, sized for a phone or a Pinterest board.