B major chord on guitar (B)

B is B, D♯ and F♯. The usual shape is x-2-4-4-4-2, a barre at the 2nd fret. Hit Play and watch each string light as it sounds.

x-2-4-4-4-2 · barre · medium

Notes: B · D♯ · F♯
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5
First shape: x-2-4-4-4-2

How to play B on guitar

Shape 1, x-2-4-4-4-2, reading from the low E string on the left, starts at the 2nd fret:

Barre the 2nd fret with your index finger, covering the 5 strings from the A string to the high E string.
Put your middle finger on the D string at the 4th fret, which is F♯.
Put your ring finger on the G string at the 4th fret, which is B.
Put your pinky finger on the B string at the 4th fret, which is D♯.
Skip the low E string and begin the strum from the A string.

If one string buzzes under the barre, it is usually sitting in a crease of your finger. Slide the barre up or down a few millimeters until it rings.
This shape uses your pinky. It feels weak at first; press with the tip and let the finger stay curved.

Other ways to play B

x-2-4-4-4-x: movable shape at the 2nd fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.
7-9-9-8-7-7: barre shape at the 7th fret, medium. Root on the 6th string: move it up or down and it names a different major chord.
x-14-13-11-12-11: partial barre shape at the 11th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.

B the capo way

No barre needed if a capo is allowed: capo on the 2nd fret and play the open A shape (x-0-2-2-2-0), capo on the 4th fret and play the open G shape (3-2-0-0-0-3) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open E shape (0-2-2-1-0-0). The chord sounds as B because the capo raises every string by 2 half steps.

Changing from B to the chords around it

These are the changes you'll meet most often with B, using the first shape of each chord.

E (IV in B major): B (x-2-4-4-4-2) to E (0-2-2-1-0-0): the index finger goes to the G string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the D string, 2nd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. Listen for B, which stays put while the rest moves. E on guitar
F♯ (V in B major): B (x-2-4-4-4-2) to F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 2nd fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 3rd fret, move the ring finger to the A string, 4th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. Listen for F♯, which stays put while the rest moves. F♯ on guitar
G♯m (vi in B major): B (x-2-4-4-4-2) to G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 4th fret, the middle finger goes to the A string, 6th fret, move the ring finger to the D string, 6th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. Shared notes: B and D♯. G♯m on guitar

B is a major triad: bright, settled and stable. Major chords are the backbone of most songs; B is home in B major and a common IV or V in the keys around it. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

Getting B under your fingers

Before strumming, play x-2-4-4-4-2 note by note: B then F♯ then B then D♯ then F♯. A dead note tells you exactly which finger to fix. Next, alternate x-2-4-4-4-2 and x-2-4-4-4-x, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

B in context

In B major, I–V–vi–IV on guitar is B (x-2-4-4-4-2), F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2), G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4) and E (0-2-2-1-0-0). About the pop progression.

In B major, I–IV–V on guitar is B (x-2-4-4-4-2), E (0-2-2-1-0-0) and F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2). About the three-chord progression.

In B major, I–vi–IV–V on guitar is B (x-2-4-4-4-2), G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4), E (0-2-2-1-0-0) and F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2). About the 50s progression.

B on piano and ukulele

B on piano and ukulele uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Close to B

Other major chords

B on guitar: questions

What notes are in B on guitar?

B, D♯ and F♯. In the x-2-4-4-4-2 shape the strings play B (A string), F♯ (D string), B (G string), D♯ (B string) and F♯ (high E string), so B and F♯ are doubled.

What's the easiest way to play B on guitar?

B has no open-string shape in standard tuning, so every version needs a barre or a stretch. Start with x-2-4-4-4-x. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and a capo can make it easier in some songs.

Is B a barre chord on guitar?

Usually, yes. x-2-4-4-4-2 has your index finger across the 2nd fret. x-2-4-4-4-x avoids the barre.

Which string does B start on?

In the x-2-4-4-4-2 shape the lowest string you play is the A string at the 2nd fret, which is B, the root. Skip the low E string.

Every shape above plays only B, D♯ and F♯, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.