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Chord & Fret

Harmonic field of B major

The harmonic field of B major is the set of seven chords born from the B major scale — one on each of its notes. The table shows each in two versions: the triad (the three-note chord) and the seventh chord (the same chord with a fourth note, the seventh, that enriches it).

Notes: B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A#
DegreeTriadSeventhFunction
IBBmaj7Bmaj7Bmaj7Bmaj7tonic
iiC#mC#m7C#m7C#m7C#m7subdominant
iiiD#mD#m7D#m7D#m7D#m7tonic
IVEEmaj7Emaj7Emaj7Emaj7subdominant
VF#F#7F#7F#7F#7dominant
viG#mG#m7G#m7G#m7G#m7tonic
vii°A#°A#m7b5dominant

The roman numerals mark the chord's position in the scale: I is the first degree, V the fifth. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor; ° = diminished.

Tonic chords stabilize and rest; subdominant chords prepare motion; dominant chords build the tension that asks for resolution.

The tonic chord on all four instruments

Bmaj7, x 2 4 3 4 2Bmaj713241×BF#A#D#F#
Guitar
Bmaj7, x 2 4 3 4 2Bmaj713241×BF#A#D#F#
Electric guitar
Bmaj7, 4 4 4 8Bmaj741114F#BD#A#
Cavaquinho
Bmaj7, 3 3 2 2Bmaj72311A#D#F#B
Ukulele

In Chord & Fret, open the Circle of Fifths, pick B major and hear every degree — triads and sevenths, with fretboard positions and the key's secondary dominants. Open in Chord & Fret →

Neighbouring keys

Relative: G# minor← E majorF# major →

See every harmonic field →