B major (B) chord on piano

Looking for the B chord on piano? It is a major triad, made of three notes: B – D♯ – F♯.

Root position: B3 – D♯4 – F♯4

What the B chord sounds like

A major triad sounds stable and bright: root, major third and perfect fifth. Most songs are built on major chords – in a major key, chords I, IV and V are all major.

Notes of the B chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B	root
3	D♯	major third (4 semitones)
5	F♯	perfect fifth (7 semitones)

Root position and inversions

An inversion uses the same notes, with a different note at the bottom. When you change chords, choosing the nearest inversion keeps your hand almost still.

Root position

B3 – D♯4 – F♯4

1st inversion

D♯4 – F♯4 – B4

2nd inversion

F♯4 – B4 – D♯5

Which keys is it in?

The B chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

B major: I (tonic)
E major: V (dominant)
F♯ major: IV (subdominant)
E minor: V (dominant)
C♯ minor: VII
G♯ minor: III
D♯ minor: VI

Similar chords and substitutes

If B is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

A♭m – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
E♭m – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
Bmaj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
Bsus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Richer versions

B7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Bmaj7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B6 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Badd9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B chord?

B, D♯, F♯. The root is B; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth.

How do I play the B chord on piano?

In root position, the right hand usually plays with fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger, little finger); four-note chords with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5. The left hand mirrors this: 5, 3, 1. In an inversion the top or bottom note moves to the other side, so your hand moves less when you change chords.

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.