B Major Scale
The B major scale has seven notes: B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯ and A♯. It has 5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯), and it is the relative major of G♯ minor.
Notes
- B1
- C♯2
- D♯3
- E4
- F♯5
- G♯6
- A♯7
Step pattern: W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step)
| Degree | Note | Interval from B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Root |
| 2 | C♯ | Major 2nd |
| 3 | D♯ | Major 3rd |
| 4 | E | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | F♯ | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | G♯ | Major 6th |
| 7 | A♯ | Major 7th |
On the piano
On the guitar
Root Scale tone
Key signature
B major has 5 sharps: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯. See it on the circle of fifths →
Chords in the key of B major
| Numeral | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| I | B | Bmaj7 |
| ii | C♯m | C♯m7 |
| iii | D♯m | D♯m7 |
| IV | E | Emaj7 |
| V | F♯ | F♯7 |
| vi | G♯m | G♯m7 |
| vii° | A♯dim | A♯m7♭5 |
Common progressions
- Three-chordB – E – F♯I – IV – V
- Pop ("four chords")B – F♯ – G♯m – EI – V – vi – IV
- Jazz ii–V–IC♯m – F♯ – Bii – V – I
- 50s doo-wopB – G♯m – E – F♯I – vi – IV – V
Related scales
Practise it
- G major, three notes per stringTechnique · moved up 4 frets into B
- Legato trills (hammer-ons & pull-offs)Technique · moved down 1 fret into B
- ii–V–I lineJazz · moved down 1 fret into B
Explore it on the full fretboard · Piano scale explorer · Metronome