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B Guitar Chords
Every common B chord on guitar — major, minor, sevenths, sus, add9, diminished and more — with up to three ways to play each one, from open position to barre chords up the neck. Tap ▶ Strum to hear a shape, or Pick to hear it one string at a time.
B B major Notes: B – D# – F# · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 · Bright and stable — the most common chord there is.
Loop it B chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-4-4-2) × B F# B D# F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 4 4 2 ▶ Strum Pick B chord — EADGBE tuning (7-9-9-8-7-7) 7fr B F# B D# F# B Barre, root on string 6, fret 7 7 9 9 8 7 7 ▶ Strum Pick B chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-11-12-11) 9fr × × B F# B D# Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 11 12 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Bm B minor Notes: B – D – F# · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 5 · Darker and sadder than major.
Loop it Bm chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-4-3-2) × B F# B D F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 4 3 2 ▶ Strum Pick Bm chord — EADGBE tuning (7-9-9-7-7-7) 7fr B F# B D F# B Barre, root on string 6, fret 7 7 9 9 7 7 7 ▶ Strum Pick Bm chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-11-12-10) 9fr × × B F# B D Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 11 12 10 ▶ Strum Pick
B7 B dominant 7th Notes: B – D# – F# – A · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 · Bluesy and restless; wants to move to the chord a fifth below.
Loop it B7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-1-2-0-2) × B D# A B F# Open position x 2 1 2 0 2 ▶ Strum Pick B7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-2-4-2) × B F# A D# F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 2 4 2 ▶ Strum Pick B7 chord — EADGBE tuning (7-9-7-8-7-7) 7fr B F# A D# F# B Barre, root on string 6, fret 7 7 9 7 8 7 7 ▶ Strum Pick
Bmaj7 B major 7th Notes: B – D# – F# – A# · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 7 · Soft, dreamy and jazzy.
Loop it Bmaj7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-3-4-2) × B F# A# D# F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 3 4 2 ▶ Strum Pick Bmaj7 chord — EADGBE tuning (7-X-8-8-7-X) 7fr × × B A# D# F# Barre, root on string 6, fret 7 7 x 8 8 7 x ▶ Strum Pick Bmaj7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-11-11-11) 9fr × × B F# A# D# Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 11 11 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Bm7 B minor 7th Notes: B – D – F# – A · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7 · Mellow minor — soul, R&B and jazz.
Loop it Bm7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-0-2-0-2) × B D A B F# Open position x 2 0 2 0 2 ▶ Strum Pick Bm7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-2-3-2) × B F# A D F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 2 3 2 ▶ Strum Pick Bm7 chord — EADGBE tuning (7-9-7-7-7-7) 7fr B F# A D F# B Barre, root on string 6, fret 7 7 9 7 7 7 7 ▶ Strum Pick
Bsus2 B suspended 2nd Notes: B – C# – F# · Formula: 1 – 2 – 5 · Open and airy: neither major nor minor.
Loop it Bsus2 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-4-2-2) × B F# B C# F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 4 2 2 ▶ Strum Pick Bsus2 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-11-12-9) 9fr × × B F# B C# Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 11 12 9 ▶ Strum Pick
Bsus4 B suspended 4th Notes: B – E – F# · Formula: 1 – 4 – 5 · Tense in a gentle way; usually resolves to major.
Loop it Bsus4 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-4-5-2) 2fr × B F# B E F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 4 5 2 ▶ Strum Pick Bsus4 chord — EADGBE tuning (7-9-9-9-7-7) 7fr B F# B E F# B Barre, root on string 6, fret 7 7 9 9 9 7 7 ▶ Strum Pick Bsus4 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-11-12-12) 9fr × × B F# B E Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 11 12 12 ▶ Strum Pick
Badd9 B add 9 Notes: B – C# – D# – F# · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 9 · A major chord with sparkle on top.
Loop it Badd9 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-6-4-2) 2fr × B F# C# D# F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 6 4 2 ▶ Strum Pick Badd9 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-14-13-11-14-11) 11fr × B D# F# C# D# C-shape, root on string 5, fret 14 x 14 13 11 14 11 ▶ Strum Pick
B6 B major 6th Notes: B – D# – F# – G# · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 6 · Sweet, vintage sound — swing and country.
Loop it B6 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-4-4-4) × B F# B D# G# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 4 4 4 ▶ Strum Pick B6 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-11-9-11) 9fr × × B F# G# D# Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 11 9 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Bm6 B minor 6th Notes: B – D – F# – G# · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 5 – 6 · Minor with a mysterious, film-noir twist.
Loop it Bm6 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-4-3-4) × B F# B D G# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 4 3 4 ▶ Strum Pick Bm6 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-11-9-10) 9fr × × B F# G# D Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 11 9 10 ▶ Strum Pick
B9 B dominant 9th Notes: B – C# – D# – F# – A · Formula: 1 – 3 – (5) – ♭7 – 9 · Funky and soulful.
Loop it B9 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-1-2-2-2) × B D# A C# F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 1 2 2 2 ▶ Strum Pick B9 chord — EADGBE tuning (7-9-7-8-7-9) 7fr B F# A D# F# C# Barre, root on string 6, fret 7 7 9 7 8 7 9 ▶ Strum Pick B9 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-14-13-14-14-14) 13fr × B D# A C# F# Barre, root on string 5, fret 14 x 14 13 14 14 14 ▶ Strum Pick
Bdim B diminished Notes: B – D – F · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 · Tense and unstable — a passing chord.
Loop it Bdim chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-3-4-3-X) × × B F B D Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 3 4 3 x ▶ Strum Pick Bdim chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-10-12-10) 9fr × × B F B D Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 10 12 10 ▶ Strum Pick
Bdim7 B diminished 7th Notes: B – D – F – G# · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – 𝄫7 · Dramatic and symmetrical: repeats every 3 frets.
Loop it Bdim7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-3-4-3-4) × B F B D G# Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 3 4 3 4 ▶ Strum Pick Bdim7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-10-9-10) 9fr × × B F G# D Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 10 9 10 ▶ Strum Pick
Bm7b5 B half-diminished (m7♭5) Notes: B – D – F – A · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭7 · The ii chord of minor keys.
Loop it Bm7b5 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-3-2-3-X) × × B F A D Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 3 2 3 x ▶ Strum Pick Bm7b5 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-10-10-10) 9fr × × B F A D Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 10 10 10 ▶ Strum Pick Bm7b5 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-14-15-14-15-X) 14fr × × B F A D Barre, root on string 5, fret 14 x 14 15 14 15 x ▶ Strum Pick
Baug B augmented Notes: B – D# – G · Formula: 1 – 3 – ♯5 · Dreamy and unresolved; repeats every 4 frets.
Loop it Baug chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-5-4-4-3) 2fr × B G B D# G Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 5 4 4 3 ▶ Strum Pick Baug chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-9-12-12-11) 9fr × × B G B D# Root on string 4, fret 9 x x 9 12 12 11 ▶ Strum Pick
B5 B power chord (5) Notes: B – F# · Formula: 1 – 5 · No 3rd, so it suits distortion — rock and metal.
Loop it B5 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-2-4-4-X-X) × × × B F# B Barre, root on string 5, fret 2 x 2 4 4 x x ▶ Strum Pick B5 chord — EADGBE tuning (7-9-9-X-X-X) 7fr × × × B F# B Barre, root on string 6, fret 7 7 9 9 x x x ▶ Strum Pick
Where B chords show up
B major is the I, IV or V chord in the keys of E, B, F#. Bm is the ii, iii or vi chord in G, D, A. Try a progression that uses it in the progressions library , or find the key of your own song with the key finder .
How to read these chord diagrams
Strings run left to right from the thick low E (string 6) to the thin high E (string 1). A dot means press that fret; O above the nut means play the string open, × means don't play it. A bar across several strings is a barre — press them all with one finger. Red dots are the root note (B). The letters under each diagram are the notes that sound.
Not in standard tuning? The chord finder works out shapes for any tuning, and the tunings library has chord charts for 20 alternate tunings.
Questions How do you play a B chord on guitar? The most common B major shape is shown first on this page as a barre chord; the diagram shows which frets to press and which strings to skip.
What notes are in a B chord? B major contains B – D# – F#. B minor lowers the middle note by one fret.