B♯ Major Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The B♯ Major chord is built on the root note B♯. Its notes are B♯, D𝄪 and F𝄪. It's enharmonically the same chord as C Major.
Major chords feel bright, stable and resolved. A root, a major third and a perfect fifth give them a happy, confident sound. Most popular music is built on them.
- Notes
- B♯ · D𝄪 · F𝄪
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5
- Semitones
- 0 · 4 · 7
- Note
- B♯
- Quality
- Major
- Symbol
- B♯
B♯ Major on piano
3 notes
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play B♯ Major on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on B♯, middle finger on D𝄪 and little finger on F𝄪. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard every note of B♯ Major is a white key, the keys you'd normally call C, E and G. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- B♯1
- D𝄪3
- F𝄪5
B♯ Major on guitar
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, B♯ Major is commonly played with the voicing shown above. This one is a barre at fret 8: keep the index finger flat across the strings and curve the others so they don't mute the strings next to them. If the full barre won't ring yet, play strings 4 to 1 only: they already hold all three notes.
B♯ · D𝄪 · F𝄪
Try B♯ Major on the virtual piano
Free, in your browser: play with the mouse, your computer keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard. No sign-up.
B♯ Major chord notes
Also known as C Major
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | B♯(B#) | |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | D𝄪(D##) | |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | F𝄪(F##) |
How to use the B♯ Major chord
The B♯ Major chord is built from a root, a major third and a perfect fifth. Start at the root B♯ and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: B♯, D𝄪 and F𝄪. The same formula gives you the chord in any other key.
You'll find major chords in almost every style of popular music: rock anthems, country ballads, pop hits and hymns. They commonly appear as the I, IV and V chords in a major key.
How B♯ Major differs from similar chords
B♯ and B♯m share the root and the fifth, and the only difference is the third: a major third in B♯, a minor third in B♯m. Add a major seventh and it becomes B♯maj7, add a minor seventh and it becomes B♯7. Of all the chords on this root, the plain major triad is the one that sounds finished.
Where B♯ Major is used
No progression is shown for this spelling
Every key B♯ Major would have a function in has a tonic that needs a double accidental, which is not a key this library teaches. The enharmonic spelling carries the same chord in a key that exists.
Scales that contain B♯
These scales include B♯ as one of their diatonic chords. Use them to find melodies and improvisation ideas that fit perfectly.
Questions people ask
- What notes are in the B♯ Major chord?
- The B♯ Major chord contains B♯, D𝄪 and F𝄪 (B#, D## and F## in plain text).
- Is the B♯ Major chord major or minor?
- B♯ Major is a major chord. Major chords feel bright, stable and resolved. A root, a major third and a perfect fifth give them a happy, confident sound. Most popular music is built on them.
- How do you play B♯ Major on piano?
- Place your fingers on B♯, D𝄪 and F𝄪 and play them together. The root usually goes to the little finger of the left hand, the upper notes to the right. On the keyboard every note of B♯ Major is a white key, the keys you'd normally call C, E and G.
- How do you play B♯ Major on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. This one is a barre at fret 8: keep the index finger flat across the strings and curve the others so they don't mute the strings next to them. If the full barre won't ring yet, play strings 4 to 1 only: they already hold all three notes.
- What is another name for the B♯ Major chord?
- B♯ Major is enharmonically equivalent to C Major. Both chord names describe exactly the same notes, but the spelling depends on the key you are playing in.