Fm/Bb chord on guitar

Fm/Bb (F minor over B flat) is made of three notes: F (root), Ab (minor third) and C (perfect fifth). The slash means Bb is played as the lowest note.

The easiest Fm/Bb is the "barre at fret 1" shape. Lay your index finger flat across the 5th (A) to the 2nd (B) string at fret 1. This is the barre. Put your ring finger on the 4th (D) string at fret 3 (F). Don't play the low E and high E strings: skip them or mute them with a fretting finger.

Fm/Bb has no open-string shape, so every version needs a barre or a stretch. The easiest one is rated medium.

Only the third changes. F major uses a major third and sounds bright; F minor lowers that note by a half step, which makes it sound darker. The root and the fifth stay the same.

Fm/Bb belongs to 6 keys: D flat major (as the iii chord), E flat major (as the ii chord), A flat major (as the vi chord), C minor (as the iv chord), F minor (as the i chord) and B flat minor (as the v chord).

The minor triad swaps the major third for a minor third, which gives it a darker, sadder color.