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E A D G B E

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Key

Chords in B major

B major is built from the notes B, C#, D#, E, F#, G# and A#. Its scale carries 5 sharps. Harmonising that scale in thirds gives seven chords — 3 majors, 3 minors and 1 diminished — starting on B as the I. The chord on the fifth degree is F#, a major V, so B major has the leading tone that makes a F#-to-B cadence sound final.

Beyond those seven, B major commonly borrows Bm (i), C#dim (iiø), D (bIII), Em (iv) and F#m (v) from the parallel minor — the mixture chords that give a progression somewhere unexpected to go.

The seven chords

IBB major, open position, capo 0x24442iiC#mC# minor, position 4, capo 04frx46650iiiD#mD# minor, open position, capo 0xx1342IVEE major, open position, capo 0022100VF#F# major, open position, capo 0244322viG#mG# minor, position 4, capo 04fr466444viiøA#dimA# diminished, open position, capo 0x12320

Extended to four notes each, the same seven degrees give Bmaj7, C#m7, D#m7, Emaj7, F#7, G#m7, A#m7b5.

Borrowed chords

iBmB minor, open position, capo 0x20402iiøC#dimC# diminished, open position, capo 0x45050bIIIDD major, open position, capo 0xx0232ivEmE minor, open position, capo 0022000vF#mF# minor, open position, capo 0244222bVIGG major, open position, capo 0320003bVIIAA major, open position, capo 0x02220
Capo

Capo 4 and play G major shapes to sound B major.

All eight capo positions for B major →

Related keys

Open B major in the explorer →