The seven chords of B major
One chord on each note of the scale, built from the scale’s own notes. Capital numerals are major chords, small ones minor, and ° is diminished.
- IBx24442the home chord
- iiC♯mx46654leads to V
- iiiD♯mxx1342a softer stand-in for I
- IVE022100the step away from home
- VF♯244322pulls back to I
- viG♯m466444the relative minor
- vii°A♯dimx12320rare — a passing chord
The three to learn first
B is home — the chord the song starts from and ends on. E is the step away, and F♯ is the one that pulls back home. On guitar they are x24442, 022100 and 244322: B with a barre at the 2nd fret and three more fingers, E with three fingers and F♯ with a barre at the 2nd fret and three more fingers.
The easy way: a capo at the 2nd fret
B major is not a friendly key on guitar — B, C♯m, D♯m, F♯ and G♯m need a barre or a fourth finger. Clamp a capo at the 2nd fret and play the chords of A major instead: every shape sounds 2 semitones higher, so the A shape sounds B, the D shape sounds E and the E shape sounds F♯.
Progressions in B major
The orders these chords are most often played in. Press play to hear each one strummed, a bar to a chord.
Three chords, and thousands of folk, blues, country and rock songs.
The four-chord pop progression.
The 1950s doo-wop turnaround.
The jazz cadence: two steps toward home, then home.
The sevenths
Four-note versions of the same chords. F♯7 is the one worth learning first: it is F♯ with one note added, and it pulls toward B harder than the plain chord does.
The scale behind the chords
B major is the notes B – C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ – A♯. Every chord above uses only those seven notes, which is why they sound as if they belong together — and why a melody in B major fits over any of them. Its relative minor is G♯ minor, which has the same notes and the same chords with a different home.
The nearest keys are a fifth either side: F♯ major and E major. Each shares six of this key’s seven notes, which is why songs change key to them so often.
Frequently asked questions
What chords are in the key of B major?
B (I), C♯m (ii), D♯m (iii), E (IV), F♯ (V), G♯m (vi), A♯dim (vii°). They are the seven chords you get by stacking thirds on each note of the B major scale — B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯ — using only notes of that scale.
What are the three main chords in B major?
B, E and F♯ — the chords on the first, fourth and fifth notes of the scale. B is home, E moves away from it and F♯ pulls back. A great many songs use only these three.
What is the relative minor of B major?
G♯ minor. The two keys share all seven notes and all seven chords, in a different order: what is vi in B major is the home chord of G♯ minor. A song can move between them without any chord sounding out of place.
Is B major an easy key on guitar?
5 of its six everyday chords — B, C♯m, D♯m, F♯ and G♯m — need a barre or four fingers on guitar. The usual way round that is a capo at the 2nd fret, playing the chord shapes of A major.