Bm, the B minor guitar chord
B minor is the chord that pulls you past the open shapes, because so many songs simply need it. It’s the open Am grip carried up two frets: the index lies across five strings at the 2nd fret and the low E sits out of the strum, just like in Am. Give the B string under the barre an extra listen. It carries the note that makes this chord minor, and when it goes quiet the chord drifts toward plain B without you hearing why.
How to play it
- Index finger flattened across the A string (5th) and high E string (1st), 2nd fret.
- Middle finger on the B string (2nd), 3rd fret.
- Ring finger on the D string (4th), 4th fret.
- Pinky on the G string (3rd), 4th fret.
- Don't strum the low E string (6th). It stays silent in this shape.
Changes to practice
Holding Bm still is the easy part. Songs need you to arrive at it in rhythm, so in Strumhold you practice Bm as changes, alongside the rest of the A-shape Barres set: