B major
The major key with the tonic B. It has five sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯. On the piano it sounds exactly like C♭ major with seven flats. In sheet music you mostly meet it as the dominant of E major.
- Tonic
- B
- Key signature
- 5 ♯ (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯)
- Tonic chord
- B–D♯–F♯
- Relative key
- G♯ minor
- Enharmonically the same
- C♭ major (7 ♭)
Five sharps
On the page Circle of fifths B major is listed with “5 sharps”. The sharps follow the fixed series F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯, as the page Key Signatures names it. In B major the first five apply. The rule for the tonic: the tonic lies a semitone above the last sharp, so above A♯, and that is B.
B major scale
Only B and E are natural notes, all the other notes carry a sharp. Semitone steps lie between D♯–E and A♯–B.
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I | B | B–D♯–F♯ |
| ii | C♯m | C♯–E–G♯ |
| iii | D♯m | D♯–F♯–A♯ |
| IV | E | E–G♯–B |
| V | F♯ | F♯–A♯–C♯ |
| vi | G♯m | G♯–B–D♯ |
| vii° | A♯° | A♯–C♯–E |
B major or C♭ major?
The Circle of Fifths page lists B major (five sharps) and C♭ major (seven flats) as one of the three enharmonic pairs. Composers choose, wherever possible, the spelling with fewer sharps or flats, so B major. See Enharmonic equivalence.
The chords
The diatonic chords arise as in every major key from two thirds: on the degrees I, IV and V there are major chords, in B major B, E and F♯, on ii, iii and vi minor chords and on the seventh a diminished triad. The derivation is on the page Diatonic chords.
B major in practice
In the archive B major turns up as the dominant of E major: Carcassi's Study No. 8 writes the chords B7 and B, beside E, F♯m and F♯.
Guitar
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Etüde Nr. 8 Matteo Carcassi, op. 60 No. 8 · guitar · 1 page
“Moderato”, 2/4, four sharps (E major). The chord symbols name B7 and B: that is the dominant B major, beside E, F♯m and F♯.
Common mistakes
- Confusing B and B♭: B major is the key with five sharps; B♭ major, with two flats, is a different key. In German-speaking countries the key on B is called H-Dur and the key on B♭ is called B-Dur.
- Taking the last sharp for the tonic: The tonic lies a semitone above.
- Mixing B major with C♭ major: A key is written with sharps or with flats.
Continue on Maikstrings
Related terms
B minorE majorF♯ majorC♯ majorEnharmonic equivalenceSharp keyRelative keyMajorCircle of fifthsAccidental
Editor: Maik Krohm · reviewed on 3 October 2026
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