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B chord on guitar (B major)
Also called or written B, Bmaj, BM or B chord
B major contains the notes B, D♯, and F♯. The 2nd fret barre shape demands a strong index finger.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5
- Root positionB–D♯–F♯B×-2-4-4-4-2
- First inversionD♯–F♯–BB/D♯×-6-4-4-4-×
- Second inversionF♯–B–D♯B/F♯2-2-4-4-4-2
How do you play a B major chord on guitar?
B major is played at the 2nd fret as × 2 4 4 4 2: barre your index finger across fret 2, middle finger on the D string at fret 4, ring finger on the G string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 4. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 2 | F♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 3 | B (1) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 4 | D♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
IntermediateThe index barre must fret the A string and high e cleanly while the other fingers stretch to the 4th fret.
7th fret
B major is played at the 7th fret as 7 9 9 8 7 7: barre your index finger across fret 7, ring finger on the A string at fret 9, pinky finger on the D string at fret 9 and middle finger on the G string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 4 | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 2 | D♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
B/D♯ inversion · fret 4
B major is played at the 4th fret as × 6 4 4 4 ×: barre your index finger across fret 4 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 6. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 4 | D♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
B/D♯ inversion · fret 9
B major is played at the 9th fret as 11 9 9 11 × ×: ring finger on the low E string at fret 11, index finger on the A string at fret 9, middle finger on the D string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 11. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 3 | D♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 2 | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
B/D♯ inversion · fret 11
B major is played at the 11th fret as × × 13 11 12 11: pinky finger on the D string at fret 13, index finger on the G string at fret 11, ring finger on the B string at fret 12 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 11. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 4 | D♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 3 | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 2 | D♯ (3) |
Why it sounds like that
B major is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, with the major third D♯ giving it its bright quality. Compare it to B minor, which lowers the third to D.
What goes wrong with B major?
- Letting the low E string sound through, which is outside the chord.
- Pressing the barre too flat and deadening the high e string.
When to use it
B major is the tonic in B major, so it anchors progressions like B–E–F♯, the I–IV–V. It also appears in E major and F♯ major keys. Use it for rock, metal, and pop.
Changing to and from B major
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 1st fret gives B♭ major.
- From B major to E major, move the barre to the 7th fret and adjust the other fingers to the E shape.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd fret barre shape is the standard, but the B/D♯ inversion with D♯ in the bass offers a different sound. The 7th fret barre shape gives a higher voicing.
Other B chords
Common questions
How is B major written?
B major is written as B, Bmaj, or BM. There is no alternate root spelling for B major.
What is the difference between B major and B minor?
B major has a major third (D♯), while B minor has a minor third (D). This changes the chord from bright to somber.
Why is the low E string muted in the 2nd fret B major shape?
The low E is not a chord tone, so it must be muted to avoid a dissonant sound.