B Minor-Major 7th Chord
Notes
B - D - F# - A#
The B Minor-Major 7th chord contains 4 notes: B, D, F#, A#. It is built using the following intervals from the root: Root, Minor 3rd, Perfect 5th, Major 7th. On the piano keyboard diagram above, the highlighted keys show exactly which keys you need to press to play this chord.
How Is the B Minor-Major 7th Chord Built?
A minor-major 7th chord combines a minor triad with a major seventh. Formula: Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th + Major 7th. This is a somewhat paradoxical chord — the minor third gives it sadness while the major seventh adds brightness, creating a complex, emotionally ambiguous sound.
Starting from B, the notes of this chord are: B (the root), D (the Minor 3rd), F# (the Perfect 5th), A# (the Major 7th).
What Key Is the B Minor-Major 7th Chord In?
The minor-major 7th appears as the im(maj7) chord in harmonic and melodic minor keys. For example, Cm(maj7) is the im(maj7) in C minor. It is less common as a diatonic chord in major keys.
Fingering
Left Hand
5 - 3 - 2 - 1
Use fingers: Pinky, Middle, Index, Thumb. Place your left hand in a relaxed position and press the corresponding keys simultaneously.
Right Hand
1 - 2 - 3 - 5
Use fingers: Thumb, Index, Middle, Pinky. Keep your right hand curved and relaxed. These fingerings are suggestions — adjust them if you find a more comfortable position for your hand.
For more detailed fingering advice and exercises, check out our complete fingering guide.
Sound Character
The B Minor-Major 7th chord sounds haunting, film-noir, and exotic. It has a distinctive dramatic quality. The clash between the minor third (sad) and the major seventh (bright) creates an emotionally complex sound that is both beautiful and unsettling at the same time.
Common Uses of the Minor-Major 7th Chord
Minor-major 7th chords have a haunting, film-noir quality. They appear in jazz ballads, spy movie themes, and classical pieces that need an exotic or mysterious color. The opening chord of the James Bond theme is a famous example of the minor-major 7th sound. Use them sparingly for maximum dramatic impact.
Practice Tips for the B Minor-Major 7th Chord
Try playing Cm → Cm(maj7) → Cm7 and listen to how the melody note (the seventh) moves step by step. This kind of voice leading creates beautiful inner motion even when the chord barely changes. The minor-major 7th works well as a passing chord between minor and minor 7.
You can also find more exercises and practice ideas on our fingerings guide and chord progressions page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the minor-major 7th chord sound so unusual?
It combines the dark quality of a minor triad with the bright quality of a major seventh. These two qualities pull in opposite emotional directions, creating an ambiguous, haunting sound that is both sad and luminous at the same time.
When should I use a minor-major 7th chord?
Use it sparingly for dramatic effect. It works well as the tonic chord in minor key jazz pieces, as a passing chord between minor and minor 7, or when you want to create a mysterious, film-noir atmosphere.
Learn More About Piano Chords
If you want to deepen your understanding of the B Minor-Major 7th chord and piano harmony in general, these guides will help:
- All Piano Chord Types — a complete overview of every chord type with examples
- Piano Keyboard Notes — understand the layout of the keyboard and find any note
- Chord Notation Guide — learn to read chord symbols in sheet music and lead sheets
- Piano Chord Fingerings — proper finger technique for all chord types
- Chord Progressions — how to combine chords into musical sequences
- Chord Inversions — play the B Minor-Major 7th chord in different positions