B Minor isn't a chord you think about too often, but once it rears its head you'll be kicking yourself if you don't remember how to play it. Even for lesser-utilized chords, there's no excuse not to remember at least one voicing, so today, we're going to cover a few in the hopes that you'll be able to use one when you need it most.
Now, you may have heard somewhere that you need to play B Minor as a barre chord if you're up near the head of your guitar. You certainly can tackle it this way:
You can stay in this position and not use your barre, however, if you're good enough at stretching your fingers. Check this out:
See how you're playing nearly the same notes as with your barre chord, with the exception of the 4th fret? We've swapped in a "D," but managed to retain the B Minor sound while making the chord a bit easier to play.
You could also try that original voicing we learned, remove the 5th string from the equation, and arrive at a similar result, like this:
If you've got a knack for muting strings, want to stay near the 1st fret, but also want a voicing with fewer notes, however, you could try this trickier variation here:
There's also a tricky voicing you can try on the 4th fret. Make sure you've stretched your hand before you give it a try:
You can also take B Minor up to the 5th fret, if you so choose:
Making B Minor sound its best will be a matter of hard work and effort on your part. Many of these voicings require substantial finger stretches and the strength in your left hand to mute/grasp multiple strings. Good luck, and, as always, happy practicing!
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