A phrase in D major
- D
- Bm
- A7
- D
Hear Bm in a tonic–chord–dominant–tonic phrase. Its role depends on its position, not just its quality.
Explore notes on guitar or piano, uncover their harmony, and turn your ideas into practice.
Tap a fret to place a finger (tap again to mute). O = open string, ✕ = muted. One sounding note per string.
Bm
B minor
A root, a minor third and a perfect fifth — the darker cousin of the major triad.
Bm · minor
Can provide stability as a tonic, or connection and tension elsewhere in a key.
Examples of musical settings, not restrictions or claims about how often this chord appears.
No specific chromatic passing use is established by these notes alone. A passing function requires a starting chord, a destination and voice movement.
Every chord tone fits these example keys. Other keys may also fit; the chord root is not assumed to be the tonic.
D major · vi
major
E♭ minor · vi
harmonic minor
Hear Bm in a tonic–chord–dominant–tonic phrase. Its role depends on its position, not just its quality.