B Minor Seventh Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
B Minor Seventh Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: B, D, F#, A
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 5P, 7m
Formula: WH-2W-WH
Number of notes: 4
Also known as: m7, min7, mi7, -7
The B Minor Seventh arpeggio contains 4 notes (B, D, F#, A). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the B Minor Seventh Arpeggio
Play the B Minor Seventh arpeggio whenever a B Minor Seventh chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The B Minor Seventh arpeggio uses 4 notes (B, D, F#, A) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play B Minor Seventh Arpeggio on Guitar
Root your B Minor Seventh arpeggio at fret 7 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at 2nd fret on the A string. This 4-note arpeggio (B, D, F#, A) benefits from economy picking, combining sweep and alternate picking motions. Practice isolating two-string pairs to build coordination before linking the full shape.
The B Minor Seventh arpeggio outlines a B minor chord and fits naturally over Bm, Bm7, Bm6 voicings. Use it to bring out the darker, expressive quality of minor harmony in your solos and melodies.
Practice Routine
Practice the B Minor Seventh arpeggio in different octaves, starting low and working up. Then try displacing the octaves — play the root low, the D an octave higher, and continue leaping. This trains your ear to hear the intervals (1P, 3m, 5P, 7m) in any register.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the B Minor Seventh arpeggio using string skipping — jump over a string between each note to create wider intervals. This technique produces a more pianistic, open sound compared to sweep picking and develops precise right-hand accuracy.
Related Resources
Explore B Minor Seventh in Other Tunings
- B Minor Seventh in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Minor Seventh in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- B Minor Seventh in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- B Minor Seventh in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- B Minor Seventh in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- B Minor Seventh in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- B Minor Seventh in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- B Minor Seventh in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- B Minor Seventh in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- B Minor Seventh in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- B Minor Seventh in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- B Minor Seventh in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- B Minor Seventh in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Minor Seventh in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)