Ukulele Tricks Online Ukulele Lessons
  • Lessons
    • How to Play Ukulele
    • Free Lessons
    • Books
  • Products
  • Songs
  • Tools
    • Online Ukulele Tuner
    • Ukulele Chord Library
    • Baritone Chord Library
  • Blog
  • More
    • About
    • Ukulele Buying Guide
    • Contact
  • Log In
  • Log In
  • Sign Up

Master the Bb Chord on Ukulele With These 3 Easy Steps

by Brett McQueen

One of the most challenging chords to master for beginner ukulele players is the Bb major chord (said “B flat”).

Bb Ukulele Chord Diagram

To play a Bb chord, position your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the top g-string, middle finger on the 2nd fret of the C-string, and use the index finger to barre or press down on both bottom two strings at the 1st fret.

With notes on all four strings and a challenging barre position, the Bb chord can be problematic, especially if you have arthritis, but it’s a chord you need to know how to play because it gives you the opportunity to learn a whole bunch of new songs in the key of F, Bb, and more.

I’ve written on playing a Bb chord on ukulele before, but in this video lesson, let’s go a bit more into depth and get three tips and tricks for how to confidently play the Bb chord, and after the video at the bottom of this post, get a fantastic bonus tip from a fellow student for how she tackles the Bb chord with arthritic fingers.

Remember a chord like this one takes practice and repetition in order for your hands and fingers to build the muscle memory required to execute the chord cleanly every time. Take it slow and you’re sure to see improvement!

A Bonus Tip From a Student With Arthritis

After I posted the video lesson on the Ukulele Tricks YouTube channel, I receive an awesome tip from a senior ukulele player who has to get creative with ukulele chords because of their arthritis.

Playing a Bb Chord with Arthritis

This student says:

Brett – as a senior uke player, my arthritis has bent my fingers, so barring chords is out of the question…. even just holding two strings. I’ve found I have to modify everything. So, for Bb, I just play the GCE strings – so much easier. Equally for the wicked E, which is impossible for arthritic hands, I either substitute with an Em, Em7 or E7, depending on the song. I’ve found that you have to go with what works, and not what is ‘correct’ – best advice given to me by a very pro player.

What this person is suggesting is an alternate Bb chord position that is played like so:

Bb Ukulele Chord Diagram with No Barre

In this alternate Bb position, place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the top g-string, middle finger on the 2nd fret of the C-string, and index finger on the 1st fret of the E-string. Either mute or do not strum the bottom A-string, so it does not ring out.

To mute the bottom A-string, chances are your index finger from the position will be touching or resting on the bottom A-string to prevent it from ringing out. Be careful though not to press too hard or the bottom A-string might buzz. You’ll be required to adjust accordingly to prevent this string from ringing out.

Sometimes thinking about alternate positions can be helpful to tackling those challenging chords. Don’t be afraid to modify chords and look up alternate positions in the Ukulele Tricks Chord Library. There’s no shame in that and at the end of the day you have to find what works best for you!

Not sure where to go next? Join the free video lesson course.

Discover how to make music on the ukulele even if you've never played an instrument in your life with the free Learn To Play Ukulele Today video lesson course. Learn:

  • How to properly tune, hold, and strum your ukulele
  • The most essential "must-know" ukulele chords
  • How to play 3 extremely versatile strumming patterns
  • How to play four songs on ukulele

Join the course and get four lessons with 14 step-by-step videos that have helped thousands make music for the first time. Enter your details:

    Start Here

    Join the FREE four-lesson course with 14 step-by-step videos that has helped thousands make music on ukulele.

      100% privacy. We promise to keep your
      email safe. Learn more.

      Courses

      Perfect for beginners. Become proficient in strumming, rhythm and chord changes on the ukulele, improving your skills while learning actual songs.

      Learn More

      For players beyond the basics. Take your fingerpicking skills to the next level on the ukulele, learning fingerpicking pieces in four distinct styles.

      Learn More

      View More Courses →

      Books

      Written by Brett McQueen, founder of UkuleleTricks.com.

      Learn More

      View More Books →

      Popular

      • “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Ukulele Chords & Lesson 276 comments
      • Ukulele Tuning: The Ultimate Guide For How to Tune Your Ukulele 170 comments
      • 11 Must-Know Ukulele Chords for Beginners 265 comments
      • 5 Best Ukuleles to Buy for Beginners 430 comments
      • 3 Easy Songs You Can Fingerpick on Ukulele Today 145 comments
      • Ukulele Sizes: Soprano, Concert, Tenor & Baritone 181 comments
      • “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train Ukulele Chords 84 comments
      • “Hallelujah” Leonard Cohen / Jeff Buckley Ukulele Chords 143 comments
      • Jingle Bells Ukulele Chords 35 comments
      • Ukulele Blues Fingerpicking Lesson for Beginners: Pattern #1 109 comments
      • How to Play the 12-Bar Blues On Ukulele 75 comments
      • You’ve Got a Friend In Me Ukulele Chords 124 comments
      • 16 Best Ukuleles to Buy This Christmas… Without Breaking the Bank 100 comments
      • “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz Ukulele Chords 26 comments
      • 5 Effective Strumming Patterns for Beginners 38 comments

      About

      Brett McQueen is the founder of Ukulele Tricks and author of the internationally-published book Ukulele Exercises For Dummies. He teaches thousands of people from around the world to play ukulele in a non-intimidating, easy-to-follow style. Read more.

      Copyright © 2021 Ukulele Tricks – a McQueen Machine, LLC website.
      Privacy Policy · Terms of Service · Links