Which strings do I strum for B minor?

5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.

What notes are in a B minor chord?

B, D, F#. The B is the root, the note the chord is named after. The D makes it minor.

What chords go with Bm?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Em and F#m, and its relative major, D. Songs move between these because they share notes.

minor chord

B minor chord on guitar

The first barre chord most people need: B minor turns up in almost every song in D and G.

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Where the fingers go

1
index finger, A string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A.
2
ring finger, D string, fret 4
Count from the thick string: E A D.
3
pinky, G string, fret 4
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
4
middle finger, B string, fret 3
Count from the thick string: E A D G B.
5
index finger, thin e string, fret 2
The thinnest string, nearest the floor.
6
Strum 5 strings, from the A string down
Skip the thick E. It would add a note that does not belong.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in Bm

A chord is three or four notes played together. B minor is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
B	root	A string, fret 2; G string, fret 4
D	minor third	B string, fret 3
F#	fifth	D string, fret 4; thin e string, fret 2

The root, B, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds sad or thoughtful.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

Em and F#m are Bm’s neighbours. Most songs in Bm use one or both.
D is its relative major: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

The barre is not close to the fret

The index finger should sit right behind fret 2, and slightly rolled onto its side.

Tip

Cheat while you learn

Play only the four thin strings with the barre on two of them. It sounds like B minor and builds the strength.

Songs that use it

Songs in D and G. The relative minor of D.

None of the songs on the site use Bm yet. It is coming with the next batch.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for B minor?: 5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.
What notes are in a B minor chord?: B, D, F#. The B is the root, the note the chord is named after. The D makes it minor.
What chords go with Bm?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Em and F#m, and its relative major, D. Songs move between these because they share notes.