B major chordB

Built from

• Broot
• D♯major 3rd
• F♯5th

The major 3rd sits four frets above the root and makes the chord sound open and sure of itself.

Hear it in a progression

• The pop progression

  Behind countless hits. Hopeful, then bittersweet. In B major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. BI
  2. F♯V
  3. G♯mvi
  4. EIV

• Three-chord song

  Folk, rock and roll, campfire. In B major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. BI
  2. EIV
  3. F♯V
  4. BI

• Doo-wop

  Fifties ballad, sweet and nostalgic. In B major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. BI
  2. G♯mvi
  3. EIV
  4. F♯V

Where it goes next

Thinking in B major, where it is the I chord.

• E

  IV. Lifts away from home without leaving it.

• F♯

  V. Builds tension that wants to come back.

• G♯m

  vi. Same key, sadder colour: the relative minor.

• C♯m

  ii. A gentle step up that sets up the V chord.

Sounds close

• A♭m7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have B, D♯ and F♯.

• E♭m

  Shares two notes: a softer swap. Both have D♯ and F♯.

• A♭m

  Its relative minor: same key, sadder. Both have B and D♯.

• Cdim7

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have D♯ and F♯.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• B major
• B major pentatonic
• B mixolydian
• B lydian

Keys it lives in

• B majoras I
• E majoras V
• F♯ majoras IV
• E♭ minoras VI
• G♯ minoras III
• C♯ minoras VII