B chord (B major) on bass
B (B major) has three notes: B, D sharp and F sharp. Its formula is 1, 3, 5. In major keys, B is the I chord in B major, the IV in F# major and the V in E major.
How to play B on bass
Low notes close together sound muddy, so bass players spread a chord out and leave notes out. Forms with a 3rd or 7th sound clear from about the E string's 8th fret up, so they start there; root and 5th stays low. These forms put the root on the E string; the same shapes work from the A string.
Fingers: 1 on E, 2 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 2 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 3 on D.
Hear it and see every shape in ScaleSpace →
| Symbol | B |
|---|---|
| Also written | Bmaj, BM |
| Notes | B D# F# |
| Formula | 1 3 5 |
| Intervals | root, major third, perfect fifth |
| Type | Major chord |
B across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 2 F# (5), fret 7 B (1), fret 11 D# (3), fret 14 F# (5), fret 19 B (1), fret 23 D# (3).
- A string: fret 2 B (1), fret 6 D# (3), fret 9 F# (5), fret 14 B (1), fret 18 D# (3), fret 21 F# (5).
- D string: fret 1 D# (3), fret 4 F# (5), fret 9 B (1), fret 13 D# (3), fret 16 F# (5), fret 21 B (1).
- G string: fret 4 B (1), fret 8 D# (3), fret 11 F# (5), fret 16 B (1), fret 20 D# (3), fret 23 F# (5).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Questions
What notes are in the B chord?
B (B major) has three notes: B, D sharp and F sharp. Its formula is 1, 3, 5. B is the root, D# is the major third and F# is the perfect fifth.
How do you play B on bass?
Bass players spread it out rather than strum it. The simplest form is the root and 10th: 1 10, root on the E string, fret 19. Fingers: 1 on E, 2 on G.
What key is B in?
In major keys, B is the I chord in B major, the IV in F# major and the V in E major. It is diatonic to those keys, so it fits songs in any of them.
What is the difference between B and Bm?
B has a major 3rd, D#. Bm lowers it a half step to D, which is what makes it sound minor. The root and 5th stay the same.