Table of Contents
How to Play B Minor on Ukulele
Introduction
Within the language of music, there are major chords and minor chords. Minor chords have a special “feel” to them. We are sometimes taught in music class that minor chords sound “sad” and major chords sound “joyful.”
No matter the feel the chords provide, we surely need to make sure that we know a big variety of them in order to have the freedom of playing various songs and expand our horizons. It is an essential chord that many songs have and be sure to note down that you need to learn how to play it!
In this article, we’ll speak about the most typical methods to play one minor chord on the ukulele, with increasing difficulty, and that’s the Bm chord. Plus, keep tuned on the finish of the article for a song you may play using this chord.
Play B Minor on Ukulele: How to Play It
This is perhaps one difficult minor chord! The reason this chord form is difficult is that it requires us to play a barre chord. A barre chord is a chord performed on a string instrument similar to a guitar or ukulele where one finger performs a couple of strings at a time, making a “bar”.
Whereas it sounds intimidating and plenty of newbies dread playing barre chords, with just a little practice you possibly can master it. And the excellent news is that this: barre chords are “moveable” shapes, which implies when you have discovered the best way to play them, it is going to open up the fretboard for you and it is possible for you to play any minor ukulele chords wherever on the neck by memorizing the root notes on the G string.
B Minor Chord: Root Position
To point out to you the best way to play the B minor chord on your ukulele, we’ll break down every press and neck place, and we’ll even be sharing some ukulele chord charts. Ukulele chord charts visually symbolize the 4 strings on the fretboard of your ukulele:
G = The fourth string
C = The third string (lowest tone)
E = The second string
A = The first string (and highest-tone string)
In contrast to the guitar, where strings are in descending order, the lowest-toned one on a ukulele is definitely the third string.
You’ll additionally discover numbers and different symbols on these charts that present you with the place to put each finger to play the B minor chord correctly.
- Use your Index finger to press C, E, and A on the 2nd fret.
- Use your ring finger to press the G string on the 4th fret.
If you are having a hard time pressing three strings with the index finger and also press G on the fourth fret, it might be best for you to try to barre all the strings on the second fret, in order to have your hand a bit higher over the fretboard, meaning that the 4th fretted G will become closer for you to press. But find the easiest possible way to play it and not twist or tire your hand out.
B Minor Chord: 2nd Inversion
Okay, this is a hard one but it is the second inversion and we cannot skip this one. And believe me, if you master this version of the B Minor chord, then you are good to go on stage.
This variety of this chord requires you to use all four of your fingers and press three different frets on your ukulele neck. To play this inversion, you need to do it this way:
- Use your Index finger to press the A string on the 5th fret.
- Use your middle finger to press the C string on the 6th fret.
- Use your ring finger to press the G string on the 7th fret.
- And use your pinky finger to press the E string on the 7th fret as well.
A hand breaker, we know, but it is what it is. Once you have more free time, go ahead and practice this version of the Bm chord, cause it will take lots of your energy, especially if you are at the beginning stages of learning this instrument.
B Minor Chord: 3rd Inversion
This might be an easier one, but still, it is not the easiest out there. While this one is easier than the previous one, it is a bit harder than the root pressing of this minor chord.
Below you will be able to see how to perform this variation of the Bm chord:
- Use your Index finger to press the C and A strings on the 2nd fret.
- Use your ring finger to press the G string on the 4th fret.
- And use your pinky finger to press the A string on the 5th fret.
Since all the other variations of this chord are also hellishly hard, we will stick only with these three variations of this ukulele chord. We believe it will be enough for you to know at least 3 versions of it to be safe out there while switching from chords to chords.
How to Play B Minor Chord on Piano
To form this chord, like some other minor triad, you combine the root, minor third (flat third), and perfect fifth of the major scale. In our case, it’s the B major scale.
To form a Bm chord, the third note of the scale D# have to be performed a semitone lower. As an alternative to D#, you play D. D# is the major third and D is the minor third. Therefore the notes of the B minor chord are the fundamental B, the minor third D, and the perfect fifth F#.
Notes B – D – F#.
Famous Songs that use the B Minor Ukulele Chord
“Hotel California” is arguably the Eagles‘ most iconic tune. The hit tune was a billboard chart-topper; it bought over 16 million copies within the U.S. alone and was on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 19 weeks, peaking at No. 1. In 1978, the tune was awarded a Grammy award for Record of the Year.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, named “Hotel California“ as one of many songs that formed rock and roll.
The Eagles have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, and all seven former and current members of the group performed “Hotel California” collectively on stage.
Conclusion
Again, we hope that we delivered another great guide for this complex ukulele chord. Combining the notes B, D, and F# will produce this minor ukulele chord sound that will just have us strumming until we are sick of it.
We shared a few tips on it as well and one of the best songs to play on it. We just hope that you will learn to play it properly because it is essential to know how to play it right.
