The B minor (Bm) guitar chord is often a stumbling block for beginner guitarists. It’s notorious for its difficulty, and if you’re just starting your guitar journey, you might find it quite challenging. You’re not alone! Many learners struggle with this chord, which is why we’ve created this lesson to guide you through easier ways to play the Bm Chord Guitar Easy.
In this guide, you will discover:
- The standard Bm guitar chord and why it’s difficult for beginners.
- A less demanding Bm chord variation for easier practice.
- Our top recommendation: a super-simple 2-finger version of the Bm chord.
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The Correct Way to Play the Bm Guitar Chord (and Why It’s Tough)
So, what makes the B minor guitar chord so hard? The answer is the barre. The standard Bm chord requires a barre, where your index finger needs to press down multiple strings at once.
If you’re unfamiliar, “using a barre” or “barring strings” means using your first finger to press down on several strings simultaneously across a fret.
Here’s how a standard Bm chord is typically shown:
Bm
[Image of standard Bm chord diagram from original article]
If chord diagrams are new to you, don’t worry! Check out our article “How To Read Guitar Chordboxes In 60 Seconds“. It will quickly make everything clear and easy to understand!
As you can see from the diagram, this is not an easy guitar chord to play. It generally requires an intermediate level of guitar skill to play this chord smoothly, quickly, and accurately.
Quick Tip: Before tackling any guitar chords, especially barre chords, make sure your guitar is properly tuned. A reliable tuner is essential. We recommend the Snark ST-8 tuner. It conveniently clips onto your guitar’s headstock and uses vibration to tune your instrument. Pretty neat, huh?
For beginner guitarists, we need simpler alternatives. Let’s explore some easier ways to play the Bm chord on guitar.
An Easier Bm Chord for Guitar Beginners (No Barre)
One commonly suggested “beginner Bm” chord looks like this:
Bm (no barre)
bm guitar chord
While this is indeed a B minor guitar chord and it’s less challenging than the barre version, I’ve found that many beginner students still struggle with it. It can still be quite fiddly for new players. That’s why I often recommend an even simpler version of the easy bm chord guitar.
My Top Pick: The Super Easy Bm7 Guitar Chord
My favorite easy alternative is the Bm7 chord. It’s a variation of Bm that sounds great and is significantly easier to play than the standard B minor chord.
Bm7
The Bm7 chord is still a little intricate as it uses three fingers, but it’s simpler to memorize and play because all the fingers are positioned on the same fret. This minimizes finger stretching and awkward hand positions, making it a more accessible bm chord guitar easy option.
From my experience teaching countless beginners, most can learn to play this Bm7 chord accurately and consistently within just a few weeks of practice. It’s a fantastic stepping stone to the full Bm barre chord.
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The Ultra-Simple 2-Finger Bm Chord
Believe it or not, there’s an even easier way to play a Bm chord! This version uses just two fingers and is incredibly beginner-friendly:
Bm (2-finger version)
B minor guitar chord
While this 2-finger Bm doesn’t sound exactly like a full Bm7 (it’s not as harmonically rich), it still contains the crucial B root note. Importantly, it’s significantly easier to fret, making it the ultimate bm chord guitar easy choice for absolute beginners.
Choosing the Best Easy Bm Chord Version
IMPORTANT: String Skipping for Bm Chords
Regardless of which easy Bm version you choose, there’s a crucial technique to be aware of: avoid playing the 6th string. (String numbers are explained here.)
The fundamental note in a clean Bm guitar chord is the B note located on the 5th string. (This is the note your first finger frets in the 2-finger Bm chord diagram above.)
[Image of Bm chord diagram highlighting the root note on 5th string from original article]
String Skipping Sounds Hard! Will I Manage?
Skipping the 6th string might seem tricky at first, but don’t let it intimidate you. It’s definitely a skill to aim for as you develop, but it’s perfectly normal to find it challenging initially.
The key is to focus on strumming and making music. Don’t get bogged down trying to perfectly position your pick before each strum. It’s far more beneficial to simply strum the guitar and keep playing.
Free lesson to help you: How To Skip Strings While Strumming
With practice and repetition, your accuracy will improve rapidly, and you’ll be able to refine your technique. However, if you spend too much time trying to achieve perfection before you even start strumming, you risk falling into “analysis paralysis,” which will significantly slow down your learning. Don’t make this common mistake! 🙂
“I Want to Learn the ‘Proper’ Bm Chord Right Away!”
I often hear this from enthusiastic new students, and I admire the ambition!
However, consider this: our long-term goal is for you to confidently strum a full Bm barre chord while accurately skipping the 6th string. Absolutely. But mastering that right away is a significant challenge for most beginners.
Trying to tackle the full barre Bm too early can actually hinder your progress and dampen your motivation. Trust me, I’ve seen countless students learn guitar both ways, and starting with easier versions of the bm chord guitar easy is consistently more effective for beginners.
In the short term, the priority is to get you playing, strumming, and enjoying the guitar. Our initial aim is to make you comfortable holding the guitar and strumming basic chords. As you progress, you’ll find that refining chords like Bm (and others) becomes much easier.
Are There Other Bm Guitar Chord Variations?
Yes, there are many other variations of the Bm chord, but most are too advanced for beginner guitarists. Let’s focus on mastering these easier versions first! 🙂
If you’re still finding it tricky, stick with the super-easy 2-finger Bm chord shape and keep practicing. With a little time and persistence, you’ll get it! And who knows, maybe one day your guitar skills will be so impressive your guitar will be worth $657,000!
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