B major scale
The B major scale is B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B. It has 5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯), its relative minor is G♯ minor, and the standard piano fingering is 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 in the left hand.
B major scale notes
The B major scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B. Five of the seven are black keys on the piano (C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯ and A♯); the other two are white keys.
The step pattern is W W H W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between D♯ and E and A♯ and B.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | B | do | White |
| 2 | Supertonic | C♯ | re | Black |
| 3 | Mediant | D♯ | mi | Black |
| 4 | Subdominant | E | fa | White |
| 5 | Dominant | F♯ | sol | Black |
| 6 | Submediant | G♯ | la | Black |
| 7 | Leading tone | A♯ | ti | Black |
B major key signature
The B major key signature has 5 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯, written in that order at the start of every line. Sharps are always added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. G♯ minor shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the sharps sit F♯ on the fifth line from the bottom, C♯ in the third space from the bottom, G♯ in the space just above the top line, D♯ on the fourth line from the bottom and A♯ in the second space from the bottom.
Shortcut: the last sharp, A♯, is one half step below the major tonic (B).
B major sounds the same as C♭ major, which is written with 7 flats. The piano keys are identical; only the spelling changes, and most music uses the spelling with fewer accidentals.
B major scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Left hand | B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B | 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 |
Right hand going up: D♯ (finger 3) to E (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: E (finger 1) to F♯ (finger 4), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in B major
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of B major. The primary chords are B (I), E (IV) and F♯ (V).
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | B | B D♯ F♯ | Bmaj7 | B D♯ F♯ A♯ |
| ii | C♯m | C♯ E G♯ | C♯m7 | C♯ E G♯ B |
| iii | D♯m | D♯ F♯ A♯ | D♯m7 | D♯ F♯ A♯ C♯ |
| IV | E | E G♯ B | Emaj7 | E G♯ B D♯ |
| V | F♯ | F♯ A♯ C♯ | F♯7 | F♯ A♯ C♯ E |
| vi | G♯m | G♯ B D♯ | G♯m7 | G♯ B D♯ F♯ |
| vii° | A♯° | A♯ C♯ E | A♯m7♭5 | A♯ C♯ E G♯ |
One of the most common progressions in pop music, I V vi IV, is B, F♯, G♯m, E in B major. A ii V I cadence is C♯m7, F♯7, Bmaj7.
Reading B major on the staff
B major uses all five black keys. Chopin is reported to have started his pupils on B major rather than C major, because long fingers rest naturally on the black keys and the thumb lands on the white keys E and B.
On the treble staff, B4 to B5 needs 1 ledger line above the staff. On the bass staff, B3 to B4 needs 4 ledger lines above the staff. Because of those ledger lines, left hand parts in this key are often written an octave lower, from B2.
The reading trap in B major is the key signature: the sharps are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯), then check every F, C, G, D and A on the page.
How to practise the B major scale
- Say the notes before you play them: B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: B (B D♯ F♯), E (E G♯ B) and F♯ (F♯ A♯ C♯).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills major scales, triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to B major
- G sharp minor scale: relative minor, same key signature
- B minor scale: parallel minor, same tonic
- F sharp major scale: a fifth above, 6 sharps
- E major scale: a fifth below, 4 sharps
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the B major scale?
The B major scale is B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B, then B again an octave higher.
How many sharps are in B major?
B major has 5 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯.
What is the relative minor of B major?
G♯ minor. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on G♯.
What chords are in B major?
B (I), C♯m (ii), D♯m (iii), E (IV), F♯ (V), G♯m (vi), A♯° (vii°).
What is the fingering for the B major scale on piano?
Right hand 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 going up from B; left hand 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.