Bm vs Bm7

ALing

Active member
Joined
Mar 19, 2013
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
I have started to use UU+ to learn the ukulele beyond strumming simple chords at random. I am trying to learn the song Ukulele (Gitara).

I noticed in the tutorial video and the play along video that Bm and Bm7 is being used interchangeably. As a beginnner, I definitely prefer playing the Bm7 chord, and at my current level, I can't audibly distinguish between the two.

Would I be correct in saying that I can always use Bm7 in place of Bm in any song?
 
No. But in many cases it works. If it sounds good to you, it's working.
 
I agree with Steve but please do get comfortable with the Bm chord. Barre chords can open a new range of options for playing. Stick with it and have fun
 
Learn Bm for sure. It's used in tons of songs. You can always "cheat" in many cases but the Bm is such a widely used barre chords you would be well served getting comfortable learning it. Learning closed chords vs. open chords opens up a ton of styling options for you that you cannot do with open chords, so the barring is very valuable.

Don't get discouraged, it takes a long time sometimes to get chords down, especially when you are quickly moving through them. Just wait until you get to the diminished chords ;-)

Practice slowly just doing the one chord over and over until you have good tone and can lift your fingers up and move to another chord and then back to the Bm. You'll see many people teaching this technique and I think I saw a video a year or so ago with Aldrine on UU where he demonstrates the technique.

In the end you can play a thousands of songs without Bm but why limit yourself to just a few thousand ;-)

Cheers,
 
I know this is a different chord, but bear with me...

For the longest time, I couldn't hear a difference between a G and a G7. This was in the beginning of my playing, and I would use it interchangably, depending on what chord I was playing before it, and what was easier to move my fingers to. The uke is pretty forgiving in 'mistakes' especially when they are short ones like maybe a couple of strums. G and G7...the folks in your audience aren't going to hear a difference unless they have perfect pitch (and that is only one in every 10,000 people, so you've got a pretty good shot).

HOWEVER...I totally agree with Vanflynn, use barre chords. Don't try to skip around them. It opens of the wonderful world of 'moveable chords' up the neck, which is a great thing when playing.
 
My band mate (guitar player only) routinely substitutes 7th chords for regular major chords. It drives me crazy since I like to use 7th chords to emphasize a sound in the music or driving towards the 1 chord. Sometimes I have to tell him to NOT use the 7th chord in certain places. I know it sounds similar but if you add the 7th as emphasis and occasionally it adds color when you do it.
 
My band mate (guitar player only) routinely substitutes 7th chords for regular major chords. It drives me crazy since I like to use 7th chords to emphasize a sound in the music or driving towards the 1 chord. Sometimes I have to tell him to NOT use the 7th chord in certain places. I know it sounds similar but if you add the 7th as emphasis and occasionally it adds color when you do it.
I'm with you. There are a couple songs that I play where it calls for an E, and to my ear, the E just doesn't sound right. So I found that the E7 sounds better and I play that instead. But E7 is not a replacement for E, and the majority of the time, if I try to play an E7 in place of an E it doesn't work. So it just depends. My advise, if it calls for a chord, play that chord. Then, if you want to mess around with it, that if fine. But I always play it the way it is written to start out with. I wouldn't plan on using the wrong chord.
 
Last edited:
I have a problem with intonation on the Bm chord. Its not a matter of practicing slowly, its a matter of moving to the chord in the midst of a song. Any suggestions for improving Bm chording on the fly?

Phuufme and Rllink have valid perspectives on the use of 7th chords. The 7th chord naturally moves you to another place. Usually the tonic as Phuufme suggests. When a Chord occurs at the end of a verse, (Pick-up note), I will frequently go to the 7th chord as a lead in to the the next line. When a chord ends a verse, (not a pick-up note), I frequently alternate the chord with the 7th chord in succeeding verses. Has a nice feel to it usually.
 
Bm is a position you need to get comfortable with in order to progress.
 
Thanks to everyone for their advice. I will be practicing both Bm7 and Bm not only for the music but also for the progression in learning.
 
Bm7 won't work at all if you are in the key of B minor. However, if Bm is a chord of II, III or VI, it usually will work. That is to say, if you are in the key of A major, G major or D major, Bm7 instead of Bm will usually sound fine.
 
Bm7 won't work at all if you are in the key of B minor. However, if Bm is a chord of II, III or VI, it usually will work. That is to say, if you are in the key of A major, G major or D major, Bm7 instead of Bm will usually sound fine.

Glad to hear from you, Mr. Middleton. You are few and far between on your posts of late.

You should come here more often like you used to.
 
Glad to hear from you, Mr. Middleton. You are few and far between on your posts of late.

You should come here more often like you used to.

Maybe you are right. However, I really don't have as much time as I used to. Also, it seems that lately when I make any comment I find myself in the middle of some heated argument.
 
A m7 chord is a jazzier sounding chord and, while it doesn't sound great in simple folk songs, it can sound great in old standards, as can a m6. Bm6 would be 1222.
As for substituting sevenths for majors, a V chord will usually work fine as either major or a seventh. In the key of C, a G7 will not sound "off", (but it may not be the sound you want) but if you were to play F7 in place of F, it wouldn't work (unless it were something bluesy). A seventh chord is usually resolved by going up a fourth: C7>F, G7>C, E7>A... so when moving from G to C, you can play a half measure (or however long sounds good) of G7 before you play the C. The G7 signals the change to C.

...but I do agree with those who have stated that the Bm is something you should learn.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom