B piano chord — the keys, the inversions, the theory

B is a major chord built from B, D#, F#. Below: the keys to press, every inversion with its own diagram, the intervals it is made of, the keys whose scale contains it, and a progression that actually uses it. Press any diagram to hear it.

B

B · D# · F#

Piano keyboardC4C5

Semitones above the root: 0 – 4 – 7

A major third at the bottom is what makes this bright and settled.

Inversions of B

  • Root position

    B · D# · F# · bass B

  • Inversion 1

    D# · F# · B · bass D#

  • Inversion 2

    F# · B · D# · bass F#

Same chord, different note at the bottom. Press a diagram to hear it — inversions are how you move between chords without jumping your hand across the keyboard.

Keys that contain B

  • EV
  • BI
  • F#IV

In E it does this job: I – V – vi – IV

  1. E
  2. B
  3. C#m
  4. A

Questions