B Chord on Guitar: 5 Ways To Play (Easy to Less) + 3 Tips That Work
How to play the B Major guitar chord + finger positions & with and without a bar variations - hurrah!
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If you want to know how to play the B Major chord on guitar, chances are you've come across it in a song you want to learn.
While the B Major and B minor chords aren't in the batch of first beginner guitar chords you should learn, as you found your way here, you must be itching to know the best way to play the B chord. Guess what? We got your back!
In this article, you’ll learn five ways to play the B Major chord. The chord charts include the best finger positions to use, and you'll find some easy alternative shape variations for you beginner players to go to town on.
Don't cheat yourself
If you're a regular to the site, you'll know as a session guitarist, writer and guitar tutor; I'm not a fan of relying solely on "cheat chords". Why? Because you end up wasting time putting off the inevitable.
However, I believe it's good to play trickier chord shapes by first practising simpler versions of them. This helps you build-up to the full chord fingerings, and I like to call these stepping stone shapes.
For this reason, you'll find not one but two tremendously simple stepping stone chord variations of the B Major chord below.
Let's get stuck in then!
B Major Chord Notations
B Major | B | B Maj | B Major triad
B Major Chord Theory Facts x 5
- The B Major chord contains the notes: B - D# - F#. These notes repeat all over the guitar fretboard (7 of each between the open and 12th frets alone). As a result, we can play a B chord using many different shapes and voicings
- The B Major chord is made up of notes taken from the B Major scale. Notably, the 1st (root), 3rd (Major third) and 5th (perfect fifth)
- The B Major chord formula is: 1 - 3 - 5
- If we describe a song as being "in the key of B Major" the first chord (aka the tonic) in the key signature is the B Major
- B Major, E Major and F# Major make up the I - IV - V (1-4-5) chords in the key of F Major. This chord progression is one of the most widely used across all styles of popular music.
Good to know: I show the best fingerings in the finger position circles in the chord diagrams below. Find the chord notes below the chord boxes with the B root highlighted in blue.
Shape 1 - The Proper B Major Chord: The "E Shape"
We will look at how to play the B Major chord in reverse order (the less easy barre chord shapes to the easy beginner shapes). We'll look at the two most widely used full B chord shapes to start with; the "E shape" and the "A shape".
There isn't an easy open B chord shape where the B root note is in the bass position. This is unlike the easier open beginner chords like C, A, G, E and D, for example.
We call this B chord variation the "E shape" because the shape is based around an open E Major chord form. Take a peek:
B Major Barre Chord - "E shape"
In this B barre chord shape, the B root note is on the 7th fret of the low E (6th) string. For this reason, the chord has a full, rich sound and is one of the most common shapes guitarists use to play a B Major chord. You strum all six strings with this bad boy.
Here are the correct finger positions:
- First (index) finger - 7th fret of the low E (6th) string and barre across all six strings (6-1)
- Second (middle) finger - 8th fret of the G (3rd) string
- Third (ring) finger - 9th fret of the A (5th) string
- Pinky (fourth) finger - 9th fret of the D (4th) string
Top Tip: This barre chord shape is identical to the most common F Major chord shape many guitarists struggle to play.
If you haven't built up enough finger strength and endurance, I'll be the first to admit you won't find this the easiest of shapes to play at first. Follow the practice tips coming up later in the article and check out the easier shapes coming up.
Before we get to them, let's look at the second most used shape to play the B chord on guitar, shall we?
Shape 2 - The Proper B Major Chord: The "A Shape"
Here we have the B Major chord "A shape". This is the second full go-to B chord shape I teach my pupils after the "E shape". It's based on an open A Major chord shape per the CAGED System I talk about in my beginner music theory book.
B Major Barre Chord - "A shape"
For those of you who need to get your fingers stronger, It'll take some effort to get this shape sounding clean, especially when changing between other chords.
It's worth the effort to practise your socks off though as you can use the A Shape barre chord to play any major chord you want - not just the B Major. This is because it's a movable shape.
Here are the finger positions as shown in the above chord chart:
- First (index) finger - 2nd fret of the A (5th) string and barre across all five strings (5-1)
- Second (middle) finger - 4th fret of the D (4th) string
- Third (ring) finger - 4th fret of the G (3rd) string
- Pinky (fourth) finger - 4th fret of the B (2nd) string
Top Tip: This barre chord requires you to form a bar with your index finger across five strings only. Do not make the common blunder of pressing down on the low E string too.
The B root note is on the 2nd fret of the A string, so your finger should sit below the 6th string. This is also a handy technique to help you mute string 6 with your fingertip.
Check out the practice tips coming up near the end of the post, which'll help you if you're having trouble paying this shape cleanly.
Shape 3 - Easier 4-Note B Chord Variation
Now we get to the simpler B chord variations. Bear in mind these should never long-term substitute the full shapes, but they're brilliant for building up your finger strength and confidence.
If you have a look, this is a variation on the full barred A Shape. We're just sending the barre packing and placing our index finger on the 2nd fret of the 1st string. Have a look:
Easier 4-Note B Chord Alternative (With No Bar)
As you can see from the chord diagram, the B root note is no longer in the lowest position with this shape. This makes it a chord inversion since the 5th note (F#) is in the bass position on the 4th fret of the D string.
Finger placements:
- First (index) finger - 2nd fret of the E (1st) string
- Second (middle) finger - 4th fret of the D (4th) string
- Third (ring) finger - 4th fret of the G (3rd) string
- Pinky (fourth) - 4th fret of the B (2nd) string
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Struggle to remember chord shapes? Get yourself our downloadable essential chords poster. Music prints that make your time learning guitar easier. Chords featured include:
- Major (C, A, G, E, D, B, F)
- Minor (Cm, Am, Gm, Em, Dm, Bm, Fm)
- Seventh (C7, A7, G7, E7, D7, B7, F7)
- Major seventh (CMaj7, AMaj7, GMaj7, EMaj7, DMaj7, BMaj7, FMaj7)
- Minor seventh (Cm7, Am7, Gm7, Em7, Dm7, Bm7, Fm7)
- Easy open chords + full barre chords
- CAGED guitar chords
Coming soon:
Physical poster prints. Join the mailing list to keep updated.
Shape 4 - Easy 3-Note B Chord Alternative
Remember that the B Major chord contains three notes, namely B, D# and F#? This next easy B shape contains one each of these three notes.
Having only three strings to play makes this chord shape easier for beginners, but the caveat is, it won't sound as full and hearty as the proper barred B chord shapes.
Easy 3-Note B Chord Variation (With No Bar)
Be sure to not play the lower three strings with this shape. Even though this is a more accessible B chord shape to play, you still need to put the practise in to get it sounding 100% clean and tidy.
- First (index) finger - 2nd fret of the E (1st) string
- Third (ring) finger - 4th fret of the G (3rd) string
- Pinky (fourth) - 4th fret of the B (2nd) string
Shape 5 - B Chord Wildcard: "D-Shape"
This final shape is a fantastic way to play the B Major chord if you want to add some interest and flavour to your playing.
B Major Chord - "D Shape"
This B Major chord voicing is based on the open D Major chord shape. All you do is move the D chord up the neck till your pinky finger is on the 12th fret of the B string, then press your first finger down on the B root note on the 9th fret of the D string.
Hey presto, a sparkly delicious-sounding B Major chord.
Finger placements:
- First (index) finger - 9th fret of the D (4th) string
- Second (middle) finger - 11th fret of the G (3rd) string
- Third (ring) finger - 11th fret of the top E (1st) string
- Pinky (fourth) - 12th fret of the B (2nd) string
3 Tips To Help You Master the B Chord
These tips will help you get to grips with the B Major chord and improve how it sounds when you play. The great thing is you can apply these tips to all chords you are learning.
1- Change the way you think
Don’t think of the B Major chord as hard. Approach it with a positive attitude. As self-development guru Wayne Dyer says; when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
Develop an unshakable "I-can-do" mindset and set about doing whatever needs to be done to get the B sounding clean and feeling easy to play.
2. Commit to daily practise
To build up the finger strength and coordination needed to master the B Major chord (and any other chord), you must practise regularly. I don't mean half an hour one day, then don't pick it up for another four days.
Consistency is the name of the game. Set yourself the goal of working on the B chord for 15 minutes minimum every day
Play exercises such as the Looped Pair Strike and Freeze Method every day to help you improve the B chord.
3. Try these chord changes
As mentioned earlier, in the key of B Major, the two other major chords that feature alongside the B chord are the E Major and F# Major chords. One of the most common progressions with B Major is the I - IV - V, which consists of B Major, E Major and F# Major.
Try this.
Switch between the B Major and E Major chord shapes repeatedly. Play one down strum per chord to start with and use a metronome.
Try around 90bpm and play one strum on beat 1 of a 4-beat bar per chord. Try a slower tempo if that feels tricky and gradually work your way up.
Do the same between the B major and F# Major. You can use the "E Shape" barre chord for both by moving the 7th fret B position down to the F# root on the 2nd fret:
7 Songs With The B Major Chord
Now you know five different ways to play the B Major chord on your guitar, seek out songs you love with the B chord in to learn. To get you going, here are seven great popular songs with B Major all over the place.
- "Learn to Fly" by Foo Fighters
- "Creep" by Radiohead
- "November Rain by Guns" 'N' Roses
- "Take It To The Limit" by The Eagles
- "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
- "Mellowship Slinky in B Major" by Red Hot Chilli Peppers
- "By Myself" by Linkin Park
Take it slowly and don't expect over night results. Keep the faith and have a blast.
Over and out amigo.
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