B major runs B – C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B. Major follows whole–whole–half–whole–whole–whole–half steps. The key signature is 5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯). C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯, A♯ are black keys; the other 2 scale notes are played on white keys. The last B is the first note again, one octave higher.
B major notes and fingering
Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger). These are the one-octave ascending fingerings for the major form, one hand at a time:
| Notes | 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 |
Fingering source: LearnMusicTheory.net, “Major and Natural Minor Scales for Piano,” §2.7.
Play slowly until every note has the same length. At a 1 in the middle of the right-hand row, pass the thumb underneath. At a 3 or 4 after left-hand 1, cross that finger over. Descend by reversing the same finger numbers. Keep your hand loose where it crosses.
Key signature and relative key
B major has 5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯). Its relative minor is G♯ minor. The relative minor starts on G♯, three half steps below B. They share a key signature and the same seven notes.
Hear the two half steps
The smallest moves in B major are D♯ to E and A♯ to the upper B. Each pair is one neighboring piano key apart. All the other moves between adjacent scale degrees are whole steps, two neighboring keys apart. Play just those half-step pairs, then play the full scale slowly to hear where they fall.
Next, stop on F♯, degree 5, before finishing at the upper B. Compare that pause with stopping on degree 3, D♯. The fifth feels open because the melody has not returned to its starting note; the last note gives the phrase a clear landing. Try the I and V chords below after you hear that motion in the single-note scale.
The seven chords in B major
Stack every other scale note to make three-note chords. The Roman numeral tells you which degree supplies the root; upper-case numerals are major, lower-case are minor, and ° means diminished.
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I | B | B · D♯ · F♯ |
| ii | C♯m | C♯ · E · G♯ |
| iii | D♯m (same piano keys as E♭m) | D♯ · F♯ · A♯ |
| IV | E | E · G♯ · B |
| V | F♯ | F♯ · A♯ · C♯ |
| vi | G♯m | G♯ · B · D♯ |
| vii° | A♯dim | A♯ · C♯ · E |
The last chord, vii°, is diminished because its outer notes are six half steps apart.
Progressions to try
- I – IV – V – I: B – E – F♯ – B. Play each chord for four beats.
- I – V – vi – IV: B – F♯ – G♯m – E. This loop gives the same scale notes a different sense of arrival.
Play the scale up and down, then try each progression without leaving the key. Start one hand at a time, and use the highlighted keyboard above to check any note. The scale finder and piano chord finder let you compare other keys.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the B major scale?
B major is B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B. Its key signature is 5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯).
What fingers play the B major scale?
Ascending one octave, right hand: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5; left hand: 4-3-2-1-4-3-2-1. Reverse the order to descend. These fingerings are for major.
What is the relative minor of B major?
G♯ minor. The keys share 5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯) and the same seven notes.