B Piano Chord

B major is the B piano chord. It has three notes: B, D sharp and F sharp. Two of them are black keys, which makes the hand sit further into the keyboard than it does for the white key chords.

1B3D♯5F♯C3C4

B at the bottom, then D♯ and F♯. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. The black keys are D♯ and F♯.

How to play B on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the B below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): B
  3. Middle finger (3): D♯
  4. Little finger (5): F♯
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just B on its own as a bass note.

With the thumb on a white key and the other two fingers on black keys, the hand naturally tilts. Let it: keeping the wrist rigid and level is what makes this chord feel awkward.

Inversions of B

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are B; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionD♯ F♯ B
B piano chord diagram, first inversion, D♯ F♯ B
Lighter than root position and less final. The third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it so often sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionF♯ B D♯
B piano chord diagram, second inversion, F♯ B D♯
Open and a little unresolved. A fifth in the bass sounds like the chord is on its way somewhere, which is exactly how it is used: as the step between two chords whose roots are further apart.

If it sounds wrong

You have played B, D and F sharp
That is B minor. The middle note is D sharp, the black key to the right of D, not D itself.
The thumb note is buried
The thumb is on B, a white key, while the other fingers are on black keys further back. Bring the thumb slightly forward so it plays the front of the key rather than being dragged in with the rest of the hand.
The black keys sound uneven
Black keys are narrower and need a more central hit. Aim the fingertips at the middle of each one rather than the edges.

What makes it a B

B · D♯ · F♯ 1 3 5

B major is the first, third and fifth notes of the B major scale: B, D sharp and F sharp. The key of B has five sharps, which is why so much of this chord is black keys.

It is the I chord of B major, the IV of F sharp and the V of E. That last job is the common one on piano: in the key of E, B is the chord that pulls back home.

B vs Bm

The middle note drops from D sharp to D, from a black key to the white one beside it. B major becomes B minor, and the hand shape changes noticeably because one finger moves out of the black key area.

B minor is the more common of the two in pop, since it is the relative minor of D major. B major usually turns up as the V chord in the key of E.

Questions about B

Which notes are in a B chord on piano?

B, D sharp and F sharp. B is a white key; the other two are black.

What fingers do you use for a B chord?

Right hand: thumb on B, middle finger on D sharp, little finger on F sharp. Left hand: little finger on B, middle on D sharp, thumb on F sharp.

Is the B chord hard on piano?

Slightly harder than the white key chords, because two fingers sit on black keys further into the keyboard while the thumb stays on a white one. It is much easier than the B barre chord on guitar.

What is the difference between B and Bm?

The middle note. B major has D sharp, B minor has D. That one key changes it from bright to sad.

Where is the B chord used?

As the I chord in B, the IV in F sharp and the V in E. In songs written in E, which is most guitar based rock, B is the chord that leads home.

Chords to learn next

Other B chords