B guitar chord

How to play B on guitar

The most common way, the first shape above: lay your index finger flat across the five strings from the A to the high E at the 2nd fret, your ring finger on the D string at the 4th fret, your ring finger on the G string at the 4th fret and your ring finger on the B string at the 4th fret. Don’t play the low E string.

From the low E string x 2 4 4 4 2 (x: not played, 0: open)

An easier B

What notes are in B?

B, B major, is B, D♯ and F♯: the root (B), the major third (D♯) and the perfect fifth (F♯). Its formula is 1 3 5.

What is the difference between B and Bm?

One note. B has the major third, D♯; Bm lowers it a half step to D. That one note turns the bright sound of a major chord into the darker sound of a minor one.

Can I play B5 instead?

B5, the power chord, is B and F♯ with no third, so it is neither major nor minor. It stands in for B in rock, especially with distortion, where a full chord can sound muddy.

Keys with B

B is the V chord in E major, the IV chord in F♯ major, the I chord in B major, the VII chord in C♯ minor, the VI chord in E♭ minor and the III chord in G♯ minor, and the V of E minor, the major fifth chord from its harmonic minor scale.