Chords in the Key of B
The key of B major contains seven chords: B, C#m, D#m, E, F#, G#m and A#dim. Only B and E are played natural, the other five notes are all sharpened, and most songs in B lean on B, E, F# and G#m.
The seven chords on guitar
Each chord below opens its own page, with more shapes up the neck, audio for every voicing and a printable chart. Tap the play button on any card to hear it.
The seven chords on piano
The same seven chords on a keyboard, in root position. Each one opens its own page, with every inversion and the finger numbers for both hands.
IBB D♯ F♯ 
the home chord
iiC#mC♯ E G♯ 
the gentle step up from home
iiiD#mE♭ G♭ B♭ 
the darkest of the three minors, filed as Ebm
IVEE G♯ B 
the lift away from home
VF#F♯ A♯ C♯ 
the chord that pulls back home
viG#mG♯ B D♯ 
the relative minor
vii°A#dimB♭ D♭ E 
the tense one, used sparingly, filed as Bbdim
The seventh chords in B major
Add one more note to each chord and the key gains its seventh chords, which is where most jazz and a good deal of soul begins.
Common progressions in B major
- I - IV - V
B E F#
On guitar this is two barres and one open shape. Capo the second fret and play A, D and E instead.
- I - V - vi - IV
B F# G#m E
Common in pop written on a keyboard rather than a guitar, where the black keys cost nothing.
- ii - V - I
C#m F# B
The jazz cadence in B. With sevenths it is C#m7, F#7 and Bmaj7.
Why these seven chords
On a stave, B major is written with five sharps, which is how a reader knows the key before playing a note.
B is five steps clockwise from C. At this distance the notation gets dense, which is why the same pitches are often written as Cb major instead, with seven flats. Musicians pick whichever spelling puts fewer accidentals on the page.
The majors are B, E and F#. Only E is an open guitar shape, which tells you most of what you need to know about playing this key on a guitar.
On guitar
B is a barre player's key. Six of its seven chords need one, and guitarists who can avoid it usually do.
The standard escape is a capo at the second fret playing A major shapes, or at the fourth playing G shapes. Both give the key of B with open chords under the hand, which is why you hear B far more often on records than you see it in beginner songbooks.
On piano
Five black keys sit in the B major scale, so the hand plays mostly on the raised keys with the thumb reaching down for B and E.
Pianists often like keys with many black keys for exactly this reason. The hand sits in a natural arch rather than flat, which is more comfortable than it looks on paper.
Questions about the key of B
What are the 7 chords in the key of B?
B, C#m, D#m, E, F#, G#m and A#dim. B, E and F# are major, C#m, D#m and G#m are minor, and A#dim is diminished.
How do I play the key of B without barre chords?
Capo at the second fret and use A major shapes, or capo at the fourth and use G shapes. Both sound in B while your hand plays open chords.
Is B major the same as Cb major?
The same pitches, spelled differently. B major has five sharps and Cb major has seven flats, so B is almost always the one written.
What do the numbers next to each chord mean?
They are each chord's place in the key, written as Roman numerals. In B major the I is B, the IV is E and the V is F#. The numbering holds in every key, so the V of C is G. That is why progressions get written as numerals like I, V, vi, IV: learn one and you have it in all twelve keys.
Why are some numerals capitals and some lowercase?
The case tells you the chord quality. Capitals are major, which in B major means B, E and F#. Lowercase are minor: C#m, D#m and G#m. The small circle on vii° means diminished, and here that is A#dim.