B Major
Key Signature
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tonic | B |
| Mode | Major |
| Accidentals | 5 sharps |
| Key Signature Notes | F#, C#, G#, D#, A# |
B major has five sharps and a bright, somewhat tense quality. Enharmonically equivalent to Cb major, it is used in orchestral writing and some jazz compositions.
Diatonic Chords
The seven diatonic chords of B Major — each built on a scale degree using only the notes of the key signature:
| Degree | Roman Numeral | Chord Type | Chord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | Major | B Major |
| 2 | ii | Minor | C# Minor |
| 3 | iii | Minor | D# Minor |
| 4 | IV | Major | E Major |
| 5 | V | Major | F# Major |
| 6 | vi | Minor | G# Minor |
| 7 | vii° | Diminished | A# Diminished |
Related Keys
- Relative Minor
- G Sharp Minor — shares the same key signature.
- Parallel Minor
- B Minor — same tonic, different key signature.
See all key relationships on the Circle of Fifths.
Scales in B Major
Common scales built from the B tonic:
Transposing Instrument Context
Sharp-key signatures like B Major are comfortable for open-string instruments (guitar, violin). Bb instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor saxophone) read in C# major to sound B Major. Eb instruments (alto saxophone, Eb clarinet) read in G# major to sound B Major. Standard guitar tuning (E A D G B E) resonates naturally in B Major.