The B Major Scale — All 8 Notes
1st
B
Do
2nd
C#
Re
3rd
D#
Mi
4th
E
Fa
5th
F#
Sol
6th
G#
La
7th
A#
Ti
8ve
B
Do
The B Major Scale uses the universal major scale formula — W W H W W W H (whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step). Every major scale applies this same pattern; only the starting note changes.
B Major Scale has 5 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D#, A#. These accidentals are forced by the W-W-H-W-W-W-H formula — without them, the interval pattern breaks down.
How to Build B Major Scale from Scratch
Start on B and count up using the whole step / half step pattern. A whole step = 2 semitones. A half step = 1 semitone.
Why the sharps?
Without the sharps, certain steps would be half steps instead of whole steps, breaking the W-W-H-W-W-W-H pattern. The F#, C#, G#, D#, A# keep every interval exactly right.
Key Signature
The key of B major has 5 sharps. In written music, these are marked at the start of every staff line in the key signature, so you don't need to write the accidental next to every individual note.
| # | Note | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | F# | Every F note is played as F# |
| 2 | C# | Every C note is played as C# |
| 3 | G# | Every G note is played as G# |
| 4 | D# | Every D note is played as D# |
| 5 | A# | Every A note is played as A# |
The B Major Scale sits 5 steps clockwise on the circle of fifths. Adjacent keys on the circle share 6 of the same 7 notes — which is why modulating to F# major or E major always sounds smooth.
All 7 Chords in B Major Scale
Stack every other note of the B Major Scale on each scale degree and you get seven triads. The pattern of chord qualities is always the same in any major key: major — minor — minor — major — major — minor — diminished.
I
B
major
ii
C#m
minor
iii
D#m
minor
IV
E
major
V
F#
major
vi
G#m
minor
vii°
A#dim
diminished
The I chord (B) is the tonic — home base, the most stable. The V chord (F#) creates the strongest pull back to the tonic. The IV chord (E) adds lift and openness. These three chords — I, IV, V — underpin most of the songs you know in this key.
Common progressions in B major
- I – IV – V – I: B – E – F# – B — the universal blues/rock backbone
- I – V – vi – IV: B – F# – G#m – E — the "four-chord" pop progression
- ii – V – I: C#m – F# – B — the jazz standard cadence
- I – vi – IV – V: B – G#m – E – F# — 1950s doo-wop, countless pop ballads
Relative Minor: G# minor
Every major scale has a relative minor that shares its exact same notes — just with a different note acting as home base. The relative minor of B major is G# minor.
Both scales use the same 5 sharps. The difference is purely in which note functions as the tonal centre. B major sounds bright and resolved; G# minor sounds darker and more introspective — even though the pitch content is identical.
Songs that shift between B major and G# minor don't change key signature — they're just moving the gravitational centre of the same note set.
Free: Chord Ear Training Cheat Sheet
20 exercises including major vs minor key identification — train your ear to recognise B major instantly.