B/A on guitar: B with A in the bass
B/A is B with A in the bass. That A is the chord's 7th, so what you hear is B7 in 3rd inversion (B7/A), with the notes B, D♯, F♯, A.
- Notes
- BD♯F♯A
- Bass
- A 7th of the chord · B7
How to play B/A on guitar
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Shape 1 · 1st position
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Shape 2 · fret 2 · barre
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Shape 3 · fret 4 · barre
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Shape 4 · fret 7
Where B/A shows up
The 7th in the bass wants to step down. The most common path: B → B/A → E/G#, with the bass walking down B, A, G♯.
Other positions of B
Frequently asked questions
What does B/A mean?
B/A reads "B over A": you play B and the lowest note is A. In a chord symbol, whatever comes after the slash is always the bass.
What is the difference between B/A and B?
B/A has one more note: A in the bass, which is the 7th. That is why it sounds like B7 in 3rd inversion.
How do you play B/A on guitar?
The shapes on this page go from easiest to hardest. In all of them A is the lowest note; the low strings that would sound below it are not played (x).