Also written B7♯5, B or B Dominant 7th ♯5
B 7th sharp 5 contains B, D♯, F♯♯, and A. The default voicing at the 3rd fret requires a compact four-finger stretch.
The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.
B 7th sharp 5 is built from the formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7. The augmented 5th, F♯♯, gives the chord its sharp, biting quality. Compare it to B 7th, which uses a perfect 5th.
B 7th sharp 5 acts as a dominant chord in B major progressions, such as B–E–F♯, the I–IV–V. It suits rock, blues, and jazz lines that need a raised 5th. It pairs well with B major and B 7th.
The F♯♯ inversion puts the augmented 5th in the bass, creating a tense, unstable sound. The A inversion has the ♭7 in the bass and is higher on the neck. Choose the F♯♯ inversion for a more dissonant line.
B 7th sharp 5 is played at the 1st fret as 3 2 1 2: pinky finger on the E string at fret 3, middle finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the D string at fret 1 and ring finger on the G string at fret 2.
Tip — The pinky must reach the 3rd fret on the E string while the index holds the 1st fret on the D string.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 3 | 4 | F♯♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (1) |
| 2 (D) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (3) |
| 1 (G) | 2 | 3 | A (♭7) |
B 7th sharp 5 is played at the 13th fret as 15 14 13 14: pinky finger on the E string at fret 15, middle finger on the A string at fret 14, index finger on the D string at fret 13 and ring finger on the G string at fret 14.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 15 | 4 | F♯♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (A) | 14 | 2 | B (1) |
| 2 (D) | 13 | 1 | D♯ (3) |
| 1 (G) | 14 | 3 | A (♭7) |
B 7th sharp 5 is played at the 4th fret as 5 6 5 4: middle finger on the E string at fret 5, pinky finger on the A string at fret 6, ring finger on the D string at fret 5 and index finger on the G string at fret 4.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 5 | 2 | A (♭7) |
| 3 (A) | 6 | 4 | D♯ (3) |
| 2 (D) | 5 | 3 | F♯♯ (♯5) |
| 1 (G) | 4 | 1 | B (1) |
B 7th sharp 5 is written as B7♯5 or B7+5. The symbol B7♯5 is the most common.
B 7th sharp 5 adds a minor 7th, A, to the augmented triad B–D♯–F♯♯. B augmented has only the root, major 3rd, and augmented 5th. The 7th makes the chord dominant and more dissonant.
B 7th sharp 5 works as a passing chord between B 7th and B 9th. Its raised 5th creates tension that resolves to the next chord. Use it briefly on a weak beat.