B Major Scale
The B major scale (also called B Ionian) contains B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A#. Its key signature has 5 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D# and A#.
| Note | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A# | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Piano fingering for one octave going up; 1 is the thumb. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.
B major scale fingering
Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to E. Left hand, going up: finger 4 crosses over the thumb to F#. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.
Key signature
B major has 5 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D# and A#. Its relative minor is G# minor, which uses the same notes and key signature. See the chords in the key of B major and of Ab minor.
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Semitones from B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | 0 |
| 2 | C# | 2 |
| 3 | D# | 4 |
| 4 | E | 5 |
| 5 | F# | 7 |
| 6 | G# | 9 |
| 7 | A# | 11 |
Step pattern
The Major scale is built from the pattern W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same mode in a different key.
Chords in B Major
Building a triad on each degree of the scale gives you the chords that belong to it. These are the chords to reach for when writing in B Major.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | B | B D# F# |
| 2 | ii | C#m | C# E G# |
| 3 | iii | D#m | D# F# A# |
| 4 | IV | E | E G# B |
| 5 | V | F# | F# A# C# |
| 6 | vi | G#m | G# B D# |
| 7 | vii° | A#dim | A# C# E |
Other modes on B
More scales on B
Major scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the B Major scale?
The B Major scale contains B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, then returns to B an octave higher.
What is the fingering for the B major scale on piano?
Going up from B to B, the right hand plays 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 and the left hand plays 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1, where 1 is the thumb. Coming down, use the same fingers in reverse.
How many sharps are in B major?
B major has 5 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D# and A#.
What is the step pattern of the Major scale?
The Major scale follows the whole/half step pattern W – W – H – W – W – W – H, where W is a whole step (two semitones) and H is a half step (one semitone).
Which chords work with the B Major scale?
The diatonic chords are B, C#m, D#m, E, F#, G#m, A#dim. Each is built only from notes of the B Major scale, so they all belong to the same tonality — though the diminished chord carries a tritone and normally wants to resolve.