Chords in the key of B Major

Let’s take a look at the chords appearing within the keys of B Major Scale. Read here for the overview of chords first if you need some help understanding them.

Starting with the B Major scale, we give each note a scale degree number:

B C# D# E F# G# A# B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

Now let’s have a look at primary and secondary chords in the scale. All the chords are named after the degrees only from which they will start. We will give capital roman numerals to major chords, small roman numerals to minor chords, and small numerals followed by ° to diminished chords.

Primary Triads (Chords) in the Key of B Major

Using the first, fourth and fifth notes of the scale, we will build the primary triads.

  • Chord I- B Major: B D# F#

B Major Chord

  • Chord IV- E Major: E G# B

E Major Chord

  • Chord V- F# Major: F# A# C#

F# Major Chord

Each triad is a major since this is a Major scale.

Secondary Triads (Chords) in the Key of B Major

Let’s now look at the secondary chords occurring in B Major. These are formed on second, third and sixth notes of the scale.

  • Chord ii- C# Minor: C# E G#

C# Minor Chord

  • Chord iii- D# Minor: D# F# A#

D# Minor Chord

  • Chord vi- G# Minor: G# B D#

G# Minor Chord

You will notice that chords 2, 3 and 6 are minor, just like in every other major key. Chord 6 is the tonic of B Major’s relative minor — G# Minor.

  • Chord vii° – A# diminished: A# C# E

Like in all major scales, building a chord on the seventh note of the minor scale will produce a diminished chord.

Extended Chords

We can also build the following four-note seventh chords by using the notes of B Major:

  • B Major 7th: B D# F# A#
  • C# Minor 7thC# E G# B
  • D# Minor 7th: D# F# A# C#
  • E Major 7th: E G# B D#
  • F# Dominant 7th (C7): F# A# C# E
  • G# minor 7th: G# B D# F#
  • A# minor 7th Flat 5th (Em7b5): A# C# E G#

More Chords in different Keys:

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