B Minor Chords on Cuatro

B minor is a home key on the Venezuelan cuatro, not a side trip. Because the instrument is tuned A D F♯ B, the open strings are already close to a B minor triad. One finger on the fourth string and you are there. Learn that shape with its two neighbours (Em and F♯7) as one family.

The three shapes

Codes read fourth string to first string.

B minor (tonic): 2.0.0.0

One finger. Second fret on the fourth string (A becomes B). The other three strings stay open: D, F♯, and B. That is B, D, F♯, B. The I chord. The sentence starts and ends here.

E minor (subdominant): 2.2.1.0

Fourth string 2nd fret, third string 2nd fret, second string 1st fret, first string open. Notes: B, E, G, B. This is the IV chord. It opens the door and expects to come back.

F♯7 (dominant): 1.2.0.2

Fourth string 1st fret, third string 2nd fret, second string open, first string 2nd fret. This is the V7. It leans hard toward B minor. When you hear that lean, you are hearing the key. It is the awkward one of the three. Give it more time than the others. Do not decide you cannot play minor because this landing is ugly on day one.

Play them as a family

Do not drill one shape for a week. Cycle:

1. Bm to Em to Bm
2. Bm to F♯7 to Bm
3. Bm to Em to F♯7 to Bm

Slow enough that every landing is clean. The music is in the change, not in the photograph of one chord.

If G major is still new, put that first: G major on cuatro. B minor is the same kind of work in a darker key.

What this family is for

A large part of the eastern and llanera songbook sits in minor. Many merengues and a lot of the first soloist pieces you will meet use some version of I, IV, and V. Once these three shapes are automatic, you stop hunting for “the next chord” and start hearing the function: home, away, pull-home.

What to do next

• Venezuelan merengue on cuatro
• Gavilán (Ignacio Figueredo)
• Cuatro Basics (free course)

Or call +1 (613) 416-3412.