B Power Chord
2nd FretThe B5 power chord rooted on the A string at the 2nd fret. Root, fifth, and octave across three strings — no barre needed. Mute the low E with the side of your index finger. Perfect for rock and metal contexts.
B Major
2nd FretA-shape barre chord rooted on B at the 2nd fret of the A string. The most commonly used B major chord on guitar — five strings from A to high e, low E muted. Same fingering as the open A chord moved up two frets.
B Major
7th FretE-shape barre chord with the root on the low E string at the 7th fret. Full six-string voicing — a warmer, fuller tone than the 2nd-fret barre and more comfortable due to lower string tension further up the neck.
B Major
4th FretD-shape barre chord rooted on B at the 4th fret. A compact mid-neck voicing on the top four strings — punchy and focused, ideal for rhythm playing and chord melody work.
B Major
9th Fret (Top)Compact D-shape triad on the top three strings at the 9th fret. Bright and cutting — excellent for high-register chord stabs, triadic playing, and adding shimmer over a full band.
Tips for Playing the B Chord
No open string position
B major has no standard open-string voicing in standard tuning. The A-shape barre at fret 2 is the go-to shape, and developing a clean barre is essential for playing B major fluently.
Barre at fret 2 is demanding
The 2nd fret has relatively high string tension compared to higher neck positions. If the barre feels difficult, practice the same A-shape pattern at higher frets first to build strength, then work back down to fret 2.
Power chord is an easy entry
The B5 power chord (A string fret 2, D and G strings fret 4) requires just two fingers and no barre. Use it in rock contexts while building up to the full A-shape barre.
Try fret 7 for a fuller sound
The E-shape barre at the 7th fret produces the same chord with a warmer tone and less string tension, making it physically easier to play. Alternate between both barre shapes for tonal variety.
Roll your barre finger
For the A-shape barre at fret 2, tilt your index finger slightly toward the nut. The bony edge of the finger frets more cleanly than the soft pad, especially across the closely spaced strings at low fret positions.
Common progressions
In the key of E major: E → B → C#m → A is one of the most popular progressions in rock and pop. B is the V chord in E major and creates a strong resolution back to E. In the key of B major: B → F# → G#m → E is another widely used sequence.
About the B Chord on Guitar
The B major chord is built from three notes: B, D#, and F#. It has no natural open-string position on standard-tuned guitar, making the A-shape barre at the 2nd fret the standard approach. B major is an essential chord in the keys of E major and A major — it functions as the V chord in E major, creating a powerful resolution back to E that underpins countless rock, pop, and country songs. The 2nd-fret barre position requires more finger strength than barre chords higher on the neck, making B major a common milestone in a guitarist's development. This page covers five practical voicings: a power chord entry point, the standard A-shape barre, a warmer E-shape barre at the 7th fret, a compact D-shape mid-neck voicing, and a high-register top-string triad. Every diagram is interactive with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 B major chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Power chord, A-shape barre, E-shape barre, and high-register voicings
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
Anatomy
Chord Tones
The 3 notes that form the B Major chord and their role in the major scale.
Every major chord follows this same formula — root, major third, perfect fifth.