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Guitar Arpeggio

B Minor 7th

An arpeggio is a chord played one note at a time. B Minor 7th is the Bm7 chord spread across the neck — a minor triad with a flattened 7th. Softer and more open than plain minor — the backbone of soul, jazz and R&B.

B
1
D
♭3
F♯
5
A
♭7

Every position on the neck

eBGDAE1357912155♭71♭351♭35♭71♭3♭71♭35♭7♭35♭71♭3♭71♭35♭715♭71♭35

Dark green is the root. Tap any note to hear it — the highlighted box is a playable position starting at fret 7.

The chord it comes from

Every arpeggio is a chord in disguise. Learn the grip and the notes are already under your fingers.

How to actually use it

  • 1Play it over its own chord. When Bm7 goes by, every note of this arpeggio is a safe landing — that is what makes arpeggios sound "inside" where scales can sound aimless.
  • 2Target the chord tones on the strong beats. Land on the root or the third when the chord changes, and fill the gaps with scale notes in between.
  • 3Learn one position cold before spreading out. The five-fret box highlighted above is enough to solo with; the rest of the neck is the same shape repeating.
  • 4Say the degree as you play it. Knowing you are on the ♭7 rather than "some note" is the difference between running a pattern and making a line.

Take it further

Minor 7th arpeggios in every key

Other qualities on B