Chord · B Major
B Chord
B is B, D# and F# — bright, stable. The reference triad.
B on every instrument
The same 3 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What B is made of
B (B major) is built from the notes B, D#, F#, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5.
Stack 1, 3 and 5 on a root of B and you get B, D# and F#. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C sounds like a transposed B.
Major: Bright, stable. The reference triad.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with D♯ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain B
All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 10 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on B
Same root, different colour.
The same major shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about B
- What notes are in the B chord?
- B is made of B, D# and F# — the 1, 3 and 5 degrees of a major chord built on B.
- What keys use the B chord?
- Every note of B belongs to 10 keys: E Major (V), B Major (I), F# Major (IV), Gb Major (IV), Cb Major (I), C# Minor (VII), G# Minor (III), D# Minor (VI), Eb Minor (VI), Ab Minor (III). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play B on guitar and piano?
- This page shows B on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 21 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why B behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.