B Major
Bmaj
Notes
B · D♯ · F♯
Intervals
- RootB (1P)
- Major 3rdD♯ (3M)
- Perfect 5thF♯ (5P)
Fretboard
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
Voicings & shapes
CAGED shapes (5)
Triad inversions (9)
Spread / open triads (8)
About
The B major triad (B–D♯–F♯) is built from a root, major third, and perfect fifth. Its stability comes from the perfect fifth — the strongest consonant interval — anchored by the major third that gives it its bright, open character. It serves as the tonal center (I chord) in B major and the target of resolution from the dominant. Common moves include B–E–F♯ (I–IV–V) and the F♯7–B cadence (V–I) that defines tonal music. On guitar, the fifth can be doubled or omitted in dense voicings without losing identity, but the major third (D♯) is indispensable — it is the one note distinguishing major from minor and from a power chord. Compared to Bm, the raised third is the entire difference in color.
Chord diagrams
B Major voicing charts — tap a sheet to open it full size to save or print.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- B Lydian (I)
- B Major (I)
- B Major Pentatonic (deg 1)
- B Mixolydian (I)
- A Diminished (deg 2)
- A Lydian (II)
- A♭ Blues (deg 2)
- A♭ Dorian (III)
- A♭ Minor Pentatonic (deg 2)
- A♭ Natural Minor (III)
- A♭ Phrygian (III)
- B♭ Locrian (II)
- B♭ Phrygian (II)
- C Diminished (deg 8)
- D♭ Dorian (VII)
- D♭ Mixolydian (VII)
- D♭ Natural Minor (VII)
- E Harmonic Minor (V)
- E Lydian (V)
- E Major (V)
- E Melodic Minor (V)
- E♭ Diminished (deg 6)
- E♭ Harmonic Minor (VI)
- E♭ Locrian (VI)
- E♭ Natural Minor (VI)
- E♭ Phrygian (VI)
- F Locrian (V)
- F♯ Diminished (deg 4)
- F♯ Dorian (IV)
- F♯ Major (IV)
- F♯ Melodic Minor (IV)
- F♯ Mixolydian (IV)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.