Bm7 Chord on Ukulele
Bm7 = B – D – F# – A (Root, Minor 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th)
The note that turns Bm into Bm7 is A, and on the ukulele that note is sitting right there on the open A string, free for the taking. So rather than extending Bm's three-string barre, Bm7 shrinks it: the index finger only needs to cover the C and E strings at the second fret, the ring finger holds its usual reach up to the G string's fourth fret, and the A string is simply left alone to ring.
Where a plain minor triad closes a phrase off cleanly, a minor seventh chord leaves a slightly open question hanging over it — the extra note takes the sharp edge off the minor resolution without brightening the chord into major territory. Bm7 opens the classic ii-V-I cadence as the ii7 chord in A major, and shows up again as the vi7 chord in D major, standing in for a plain vi chord anywhere a song wants that softer color at no extra fingering cost. Letting the A string ring free rather than holding it under a finger gives Bm7 a more open, resonant quality than Bm's fully closed triad, since one whole voice in the chord is left completely unmuted. That open string also makes Bm7 a genuinely comfortable chord to hold for longer stretches, unlike some of the fully fretted B-family shapes that ask for sustained finger pressure across every note.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Start with the barre across the C and E strings at the second fret and confirm it rings evenly on both, then add the ring finger's reach to the G string's fourth fret, and finally check that the open A string isn't getting muffled by a finger drifting too wide in the process. Switching directly between Bm and Bm7 is the clearest way to feel what's actually happening in this shape: the barre simply gets shorter by one string, and the string it releases starts ringing open instead of staying pinned at the second fret — a subtle motion that's worth watching for rather than rushing past. Since the ring finger's fourth-fret reach is identical in both Bm and Bm7, drilling that one note in isolation, disconnected from whichever barre width happens to accompany it, is a useful way to build confidence in the stretch itself before worrying about the rest of the shape.
Common Progressions
- ii7 – V7 – I, a jazz cadence into A major (Bm7 – E7 – A)
- vi7 – IV – I, in the key of D (Bm7 – G – D)
- i7 – iv – v, treating Bm7 as its own minor tonic (Bm7 – Em – F#7)
- Bm7 substitutes cleanly for plain Bm wherever a chart wants a softer, jazzier color.
FAQ
- Why does Bm7 use an open string when Bm doesn't?
- The added seventh, A, is exactly what the ukulele's A string already plays open, so narrowing Bm's three-string barre down to two strings and letting the A string ring free supplies that note for free.
- How does Bm7 differ from plain Bm in feel?
- Bm is fully fretted with a closed, contained sound, while Bm7 rings an open string and softens the chord's edges with its added seventh, giving it a more contemplative, jazz-adjacent color.
- Where does Bm7 fit in a progression?
- As the ii7 chord in the key of A major it opens a classic ii-V-I cadence, and as the vi7 chord in D major it's a common softer substitute for a plain vi chord.
- What's the easiest way to practice the Bm-to-Bm7 change?
- Play the two chords back to back and notice that the barre simply narrows from three strings to two, releasing the A string to ring open instead of staying fretted at the second fret.
- Is Bm7 a comfortable chord to hold for a long strummed passage?
- Yes, more so than several other B-family shapes, since the open A string needs no ongoing finger pressure at all, leaving only two fingers actively working to sustain the chord through a longer held section.
- Does Bm7 appear as often as B7 in real songs?
- Less often overall, since dominant seventh chords resolve with a stronger pull that arrangers reach for constantly, while minor seventh chords like Bm7 tend to appear in more specific moody or jazz-leaning passages rather than as a default choice.
Bm7 on other instruments: Bm7 on Guitar, Bm7 on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.