This week’s number one on Spotify’s global weekly chart is no rock anthem but a laid-back groove full of air: “BbY WOW” by KAROL G with Judeline and rusowsky, now nine weeks on the chart. For guitarists that is a gift. The whole song rests on one loop of four seventh chords, and it teaches the things many players skip: soft harmonic colour, chord changes that save movement, and a strumming hand that knows when to leave space. This guide walks you through the BbY WOW chords, the loop, the strumming and an easier version, step by step.
The short version: the song is in D major, at 120 BPM, in 4/4, with four chords – Em7, Bm7, Dmaj7 and F#m7 – one chord per bar. It suits players who know their open chords and want a first taste of sevenths, exactly the stage we work on in our guitar lessons in North Tel Aviv, with high schoolers and adults from Ramat Aviv Gimel, Azorei Chen and South Afeka.
BbY WOW chords: the song at a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Key | D major (the loop starts on Em7, so some sites label it differently) |
| Tempo | 120 BPM |
| Time signature | 4/4, one chord per bar |
| Capo | Not needed; an all-open version with a capo on fret 2 |
| Difficulty | Medium (2 of 3) – two barre shapes |
| Chords | Em7, Bm7, Dmaj7, F#m7 |
| Main progression | ii7–vi7–Imaj7–iii7 |
Or open the song in the Rockstar Song Analyzer to see chords, structure and tempo together.
The chords and how to play them
All four chords come from the D major scale, and all four are seventh chords: each basic triad gets a fourth note, the seventh above the root. That note gives the song its soft, dreamy colour. Em7 is the second degree (ii7), Bm7 the sixth (vi7), Dmaj7 is home, the tonic (Imaj7), and F#m7 is the third degree (iii7).
The most interesting detail is what is missing. There is no A chord, the fifth degree that normally pulls your ear back home. Without that pull there is no clear moment of tension and release, so the loop floats instead of landing. That is also why sources disagree about the key (D major, B minor, or Em, where the loop starts): all share the same seven notes, only “home” moves. If that idea interests you, our guide to major scales and keys explains how every major scale produces its own family of chords.
The shapes on the neck
- Em7 – open: 022030. Two fingers on fret 2 of the low strings, one more on fret 3 of the B string.
- Bm7 – an Am7-shape barre at fret 2: x24232. Your first finger covers the A string through the high E.
- Dmaj7 – open: xx0222. The three highest strings at fret 2, with the D string open.
- F#m7 – a full Em7-shape barre at fret 2: 242222. Your first finger covers all six strings.
Notice how close Bm7 and Dmaj7 are: they share three of their four notes – D, F# and A. The only difference is that Dmaj7 swaps the B for a C#. The change sounds like one chord shifting its shade. F#m7 and Dmaj7 also share three notes (F#, A and C#), so the whole loop sounds smooth.
The hard change: Bm7 to Dmaj7
The sources say to drill this change first. In Bm7 your first finger lies across fret 2 as a barre; in Dmaj7 you need fret 2 only on the top three strings, with the D string ringing open. The efficient way: never lift that first finger. Lift only the second and third fingers and let a small barre stay on the top three strings. Dmaj7 becomes a one-finger mini barre and your hand barely moves.
A focused drill: one minute of nothing but Bm7 and Dmaj7, four clicks each on the metronome, counting how many clean changes you make. If the barre shapes of Bm7 and F#m7 still feel shaky, our guide on how to play barre chords covers strength and the right pressure, and the guitar chord chart shows each shape in several positions.
The structure: one loop all the way through
Here is the especially good news: according to the sources we checked, the same loop runs through every section of the song – Em7, Bm7, Dmaj7, F#m7, one chord per bar, four bars per cycle. The map above shows the loop four times in a row, sixteen bars. An exact verse and chorus breakdown has not been verified separately, so rather than memorising bar counts, listen for where the song opens up and pulls back.
The loop: ii7–vi7–Imaj7–iii7
The bass moves from E to B, then to D and finally to F#. Em7 to Bm7 drops a fourth. Dmaj7 is the soft landing, and F#m7 lifts the loop back up and sends you back round to Em7.
Building energy when the chords never change
Because the harmony is the same in every section, the energy has to come from your hands. In the opening and the quieter parts, play only the top four strings, softly, maybe just one long strum per bar. When the song opens up, bring in the low strings and the full pattern. One guitar can make a chorus arrive without changing a single chord.
Strumming and groove
The song is in 4/4, so you count “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and” – eight slots per bar. The pattern: down on 1, skip the “and”, down on 2, up on its “and”, skip 3, up on the “and” of 3, down on 4, up on the last “and”.
The sources describe the groove as laid-back, “with lots of space”, and that is the key. Your hand never stops – down on every number, up on every “and” – and on empty slots it simply misses the strings. Skipping beat 3 gives the sway: the upstroke after it lands between clicks, a gentle push. Play the whole pattern lightly, with a thin pick or even your thumb, and lean only slightly on beat 1. Hit hard and 120 BPM sounds rushed; played softly it relaxes.
Practice tempo ladder
Do not start at 120 BPM. Open the free online metronome and climb in steps:
| Step | Tempo | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 60% | 72 BPM | The pattern without mistakes on Em7 alone, then each change landing exactly on 1 |
| 75% | 90 BPM | The full loop four times without stopping, Bm7 and F#m7 ringing clean |
| 90% | 108 BPM | Add dynamics: quiet cycles on the top strings, full cycles on all six |
| 100% | 120 BPM | Play along with the recording from start to finish, soft and relaxed |
Move up a step only after three clean run-throughs in a row. In a free intro guitar lesson a teacher sees straight away whether your strumming hand keeps moving or freezes before F#m7.
An easier version: no barre chords
There are two ways to play the song with no barre at all. The first, which the sources themselves suggest: drop the sevenths and play Em, Bm, D and D/F#. You can also swap Bm for an open Bm7 shape, x20202 – just two fingers, and it sits very close to Dmaj7.
The second way keeps all the colour: a capo on fret 2 and four open shapes – Dm7, Am7, Cmaj7 and Em7. The capo raises every shape by a whole step, so what sounds is exactly Em7, Bm7, Dmaj7 and F#m7, in the same key as the recording. Check it with the chord transposer.
| Capo | Shapes you play | What sounds |
|---|---|---|
| No capo | Em7, Bm7, Dmaj7, F#m7 (two barres) | D major, as on the recording |
| No capo, simple version | Em, Bm, D, D/F# | D major, without the seventh colour |
| Fret 2 | Dm7, Am7, Cmaj7, Em7 (all open) | D major, with every seventh |
With the capo the hard change almost disappears: Am7 and Cmaj7 share the finger on fret 2 of the D string, so you only lift one finger and place another on the A string to move between them.
A 7-day practice plan
- Day 1 (15 minutes): the four shapes, one at a time. Pick each string and check that it rings, especially the G string in F#m7.
- Day 2 (15 minutes): the Bm7 to Dmaj7 change with your first finger staying on fret 2. One minute of changes, count and write it down.
- Day 3 (15 minutes): the other changes in pairs: Em7 to Bm7, Dmaj7 to F#m7, and F#m7 back to Em7. One minute per pair.
- Day 4 (15 minutes): the strumming pattern on Em7 alone at 72 BPM, then the full loop with one strum per bar.
- Day 5 (20 minutes): the loop with the full pattern at 90 BPM, four cycles in a row.
- Day 6 (20 minutes): 108 BPM with dynamics: one quiet cycle on the top strings, one full cycle.
- Day 7 (20 minutes): play along with the recording at 120 BPM. Record yourself: relaxed or rushed?
For students from Azorei Chen who come to lessons after school or work, a fixed time matters more than more time: fifteen minutes every evening beats two hours once a week.
Common mistakes with this song
- Strumming too hard. The song lives on space and softness. Heavy strokes make 120 BPM feel pushed.
- Playing Dmaj7 as a plain D. The difference is a single note, C# instead of D on the B string, but without it the dreamy colour of the loop is gone.
- Freezing your strumming hand before F#m7. Drop the last strum of the bar instead and keep moving.
- Lifting the whole hand between Bm7 and Dmaj7. Your first finger can stay on fret 2.
- Waiting for a different chorus. If you expect new chords in the chorus you will get lost. The change in this song is in volume and texture, not in harmony.
Frequently asked questions
Is BbY WOW good for beginners?
With a capo on fret 2, yes, if you already know a few open chords. Without a capo it is a great song for the stage when you start learning barre chords.
What key is the song in?
The analysis we use says D major, so the progression is written ii7–vi7–Imaj7–iii7. Other sources say B minor or E Dorian, because the loop starts on Em7. Every version uses exactly the same notes, and the chords you play are identical.
How do I play it in a key that suits my voice?
Move the capo. Each fret up raises the song a half step, and with the Dm7, Am7, Cmaj7 and Em7 shapes it is easy to try a few positions. If you want to sing and play together with confidence, that coordination is exactly what we work on in vocal lessons.
How long does it take to learn?
It depends on your experience with barre chords. With the capo version many players have the loop within a few days. With Bm7 and F#m7 as barres, the seven-day plan here is a good start.
Do you offer guitar lessons near Azorei Chen?
Yes. Rockstar music school is in Ramat Aviv Gimel, a few minutes’ drive away, and Rockstar Home also offers lessons at your home, subject to teacher availability. See music lessons in Azorei Chen for details.
Learning chart songs at Rockstar in North Tel Aviv
At Rockstar, the music school in Ramat Aviv Gimel in North Tel Aviv, students bring in the songs they are listening to right now, and our teachers – working musicians – turn them into a lesson plan: the shapes, the changes, the strumming hand and the dynamics. If you would like to progress with a teacher, our guitar lessons for teens and adults start with a free intro lesson with no commitment, and it is worth reading our guide to changing guitar chords fast too.
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