B MajorScale · B Ionian

Formula

W W H W W W H 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
The family

B Major on the chromatic circle

B Major is the 1st mode of the Major family. Pick another note on the circle to open the scale that starts there.

W W H W W W H 1 BI Ionian 2 C♯II Dorian 3 D♯III Phrygian 4 EIV Lydian 5 F♯V Mixolydian 6 G♯VI Aeolian 7 A♯VII Locrian B Ionian
The whole neck

B Major across the fretboard

Every note of the scale up to the 16th fret, named by its degree. The root is a ring. Step through the five CAGED positions one at a time in the scale library.

3 5 7 9 12 15 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
Harmony

Chords in B Major

Stack every other note of the scale from each degree and you get its chords. Open any of them in the chord library.

DegreeChordNotes
IBmaj7B D♯ F♯ A♯
iiC♯m7C♯ E G♯ B
iiiD♯m7D♯ F♯ A♯ C♯
IVEmaj7E G♯ B D♯
VF♯7F♯ A♯ C♯ E
viG♯m7G♯ B D♯ F♯
vii°A♯m7♭5A♯ C♯ E G♯
Context

Where B Major fits

Plain major: pop, folk, rock and classical melodies in major keys. Over a maj7 chord, pass through the 4th rather than rest on it.

B Major is mode 1 of the major family. The same notes played from each of its other degrees give the family's other modes:

Move one note by a half step and you get a different scale:

Major scale in every key

B Major scale questions

What notes are in the B Major scale?

B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯. As degrees from the root: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.

What is the B Major scale formula?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7, or in steps between the notes, W W H W W W H (W is a whole step of two frets, H a half step of one fret, 1½ three frets).

How do you play the B Major scale on guitar?

This page draws every note of B Major up to the 16th fret, each named by its degree with the root as a ring. To learn it a few frets at a time, open it in the scale library and step through its five CAGED positions, from the A shape to the G shape to the E shape to the D shape to the C shape.

What chords are in the B Major scale?

Bmaj7 (I), C♯m7 (ii), D♯m7 (iii), Emaj7 (IV), F♯7 (V), G♯m7 (vi), A♯m7♭5 (vii°).

When is the B Major scale used?

Plain major: pop, folk, rock and classical melodies in major keys. Over a maj7 chord, pass through the 4th rather than rest on it.