Piano · Level 4 · Beginner

Major seventh chords in B♭ major on Piano

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THE SHORT ANSWER

Major seventh chords add the note a half step below the root, for a soft, dreamy colour used in jazz, bossa nova and R&B.

B♭maj7

B♭ major seventh

Notes: B♭ · D · F · A

Left hand: B♭2
♭

E♭maj7

E♭ major seventh

Notes: E♭ · G · B♭ · D

Left hand: E♭2
♭♭
1
B♭maj7
2
B♭maj7
3
E♭maj7
4
E♭maj7

HOW TO PRACTISE IT

Six steps to a clean loop.

  1. Play each chord on its own: B♭maj7 and E♭maj7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
  2. Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
  3. Set the tempo to 57 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Play gently and evenly so the seventh blends rather than clashes.
  4. Play the left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
  5. Raise the tempo to 76 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
  6. Record one take, listen back and check for the shimmer of the major seventh near the top of the chord.

Listen for

Aim for the shimmer of the major seventh near the top of the chord. A common mistake is confusing maj7 with the dominant 7 shape.

Why it works

The major seventh sits a semitone below the octave, a gentle dissonance that does not demand resolution.

B♭ major has 2 flats; its relative minor key is G minor.

Questions

What are the chords in Imaj7–IVmaj7 in B♭ major?

In B♭ major the progression is B♭maj7 | B♭maj7 | E♭maj7 | E♭maj7.

What is the key signature of B♭ major?

B♭ major has 2 flats. Its relative minor is G minor.

Is this lesson right for my level?

This is a level 4 lesson (beginner). If it feels too hard, start with “Dominant seventh chords”.

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