Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. This position ranks up there with the F Major chord in terms of difficulty, especially on an acoustic guitar. So, if you're having trouble playing this version you're in luck because there are some alternate ways that don't require as much effort. From your perspective, as you look down at the fretboard: How to play a B Major chord on the guitar. But if this is still too difficult, we can simplify it even further and give your poor wrists and fingers a break. Not so with the B chord. Discover new chords with the reverse chord finder. How to Play the B Chord on Guitar. B chords are often left out of many basic guitar chord references. B major Guitar Chord Substitution If you struggle playing the B major guitar chord, you could substitute it with a Bsus4 chord, or B5 powerchord since both of those guitar chords are a little easier to play than B. If you’re flexible enough, some players prefer to play this chord with two barres—one with your first finger, and one with your third or fourth finger: It’s really a matter of preference—do what works for you. This chord requires a little more effort to learn than other beginner chords because of the way it’s played, but it shows up in so many songs it’s an essential one to get under your fingers. Modes, too! C, A, G, E, and D, for example, all have open strings that ring out when you strum them. Jam out to backing tracks, fast or slow, in every key. Fender PlayBLACK FRIDAY SALE: Get 50% off an Annual Plan.UNLOCK THIS OFFER. Despite its common use in Pop songs, there are no practical ways to play the B chord as an open chord. The B major chord on the guitar is a critical chord to learn. Save chords to practice or write with, and organize your favorites. The B major guitar chord is one of a handful of commonly used chords that doesn't quite fit the "open chord" format. And with good reason. The B Major chord is a common guitar chord. The below diagrams show you how to play the B major chord in various positions on the fretboard with suggested finger positions.. B major chord attributes: Interval positions with respect to the B major scale, notes in the chord and name variations:. When you're first learning guitar, many of the chords involve open strings. For example, play an E chord in the open position for four beats, then the B chord in the 2nd position for four beats, and then back to the E chord. Scale intervals: 1 - 3 - 5 Notes in the chord: B - D# - F# Various names: B - B Major - Bmaj If you're having trouble, remember you can use any of the alternate versions that sound just as good and are much easier to play. Songs with this chord B B major. For over … This article examines how to play the B Major chord. If you're not a member yet, click here for a free Fender Play trial! Put your fourth finger on the fourth fret of the second string. 9frxx1324BD#F#B. Copyright ©2020. B Chord Variation 1: Open B Variation 1. Put your second finger on the fourth fret of the fourth string. B F# B D# F. Here’s how you might play the same chord … Just because the two most common ways to play a B require extra finger strength, you shouldn't let it discourage you from learning how to play it. B is usually played as a barre chord (see variation 3 below) as the go-to for most people. If you'd like to learn how to play even more chords, browse Fender Play's chord library, learn about chord types, and find tips on how to master them. This is a great version of the B guitar chord for beginners to use.Even though it doesn’t sound as good as a full B major chord, or as strong as a B7, it does contain the all-important B root note and is a passable B chord for absolute guitar beginners.. Once you have 10-15 hours of guitar playing under your belt you should look to ‘upgrade’ from Bm11 and play B7 instead. 7fr111243Barre 6 with Finger 1BF#BD#BF#. Take a lesson from one of ChordBank's professional musicians. Scale intervals: 1 - 3 - 5 Notes in the chord: B - D# - F# Various names: B - B Major - Bmaj The B chord on the guitar, or the B major chord to be more specific seems to be a big mystery to a lot of guitar players. All Rights Reserved. The first way to play the Bb Major chord is in the 6th position and uses the E shape, which looks like this: - Index finger on the 6th fret of the low E (6th) string - Index finger on the 6th fret of the B (2nd) string - Index finger on the 6th fret of the high E (1st) string - Middle finger on the 7th fret of the G (3rd) string ChordBank has thousands of curated guitar chords. Make a barre with your first finger on the second fret. Most people don’t typically play an open B. Thankfully, there are some simpler alternatives to make playing B Major easier, along with variations to give this chord a different sound. By Dan Macy. 11frxx1234F#BD#B. The B major chord requires a little more effort to learn than other beginner chords because of the way it’s played, but it shows up in so many songs it’s an essential one to get under your fingers. The B Major chord, which forms the root of the B scale, is made up of the notes B, D#, and F#— the first, third, and fifth notes of the key of B. This is actually a Bsus4 chord. You will certainly use this specific chord a number of songs, which means that perfecting it is necessary to be able to play your favorite songs on the guitar. If you want to simplify the B chord even further there are two different 3-note versions you can use. To clarify: When I say “B”, I mean B major. 1frx11432Barre 5 with Finger 1F#BD#BF#. BLACK FRIDAY SALE: Get 50% off an Annual Plan. View our B/F# guitar chord charts and voicings in Standard tuning with our free guitar chords and chord charts.If you are looking for the B/F# chord in other tunings, be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page. We’ll also look at some chord variations and tips on how to learn it. Here’s how you might play the same chord on the piano: The most common progression you’ll likely see with B Major is going from B, to E, to F#, or I, IV, V. Bad Reputation, by Joan Jett, is a great example. Whole Note B rootSharp Note D# 3rdSharp Note F# 5th. Strum three strings down starting on the G string. ChordBank can help you practice major, minor, and pentatonic scales. Helping millions play guitar better, since 2010. The B major chord requires a little more effort to learn than other beginner chords because of the way it’s played, but it shows up in so many songs it’s an essential one to get under your fingers. B Major is a major triad, built up of the root, the major third, and the perfect fifth: Here is how those notes are actually distributed across your fretboard. Put your third finger on the fourth fret of the third string. Guitar Chord B. Here's another version that adds a little extra flavor and sounds great on an acoustic guitar: Strum five strings down from the A string. Throw it in to add variety and spice to your playing when you get tired of playing the standard B versions. The B Major chord contains the notes B, D# and F#. B Major/F# Chord Charts for Guitar, Free & Printable. The below diagrams show you how to play the B major chord in various positions on the fretboard with suggested finger positions.. B major chord attributes: Interval positions with respect to the B major scale, notes in the chord and name variations:. What I mean is that you can't play the B (a short name for B Major) with open strings like you can the C , D , G , A , and so on. This one takes extra finger strength and effort because you have to fret every note in the chord. On the guitar, using the basic B chord position shown in the picture, these notes arrive in this order: Mute, B, F#, B, D#, and F#. Just make sure to play it loud: Adding in the minor six chord (G#m), you have the classic `I-V-iv-IV` pattern: Other common chords in the key of B Major: Helping millions play guitar better, since 2010. It's easier to finger than the previous version and sounds a little more open. It's a good idea to start learning some easier chords like E, C, or G if you haven't already and once those are under your belt you'll have enough finger strength and dexterity to tackle the B chord.