B barre chord, 2nd fret (224442)
- Fingering
- 224442
- Fingers
- 1 1 2 3 4 1
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Position
- barre chord, 2nd fret
Notes in the B major chord
The B chord is made of B · D♯ · F♯. Its formula is 1–3–5.
| Note | Degree | Interval from B |
|---|---|---|
| B | 1 | root |
| D♯ | 3 | major third |
| F♯ | 5 | perfect fifth |
How to play the B guitar chord
Barre the 2nd fret with your first finger, then fret the 4th fret of the D, G and B strings with your second, third and fourth fingers.
Three fingers in one fret is a tight fit. Many players flatten the third finger across all three strings instead. If that mutes the high E string, the chord is still complete.
As with Bm, you can leave the low E string out and strum from the A string (x24442).
Why your B chord buzzes or sounds muted
If the three notes at the 4th fret buzz, the fingers are stacked too far back from the fret wire. Angle your hand so the fourth finger lands closest to the wire and the others line up behind it.
Easy B guitar chord
The easy B chord is xx4442: the top four strings of the full shape, with the low E and A strings left out. It still contains every note of the chord (B, D# and F#), so it is a real B, just thinner in the bass.
No barre is needed. Use one fingertip per string.
B barre chord
B has 2 barre shapes here: 224442 (barre at the 2nd fret) and 799877 (barre at the 7th fret).
A barre shape has no open strings, so it moves. Slide any of them up one fret and you are playing C.
Songs that use B
- Creep (Radiohead): G B C Cm
- (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding): G B C A E
- I'm Yours (Jason Mraz): B F# G#m E
- Jolene (Dolly Parton): C#m E B
- Under the Bridge (Red Hot Chili Peppers): E B C#m G#m A
Chord names only, as the songs are usually charted for guitar. Recordings may use a capo or another key.
Keys with the B chord
B is the V chord in E major, IV chord in F# major and I chord in B major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in C# minor, VI chord in Eb minor and III chord in G# minor.
Chords related to B
Every B chord on guitar
B guitar chord questions
How do you play a B chord on guitar?
Play 224442, reading from the low E string to the high E string, with a barre at the 2nd fret. An x means the string is not played and a 0 means it rings open. The fingers used are 1 1 2 3 4 1.
What notes are in the B chord?
The B major chord has 3 notes: B, D# and F#. Its formula is 1–3–5, counted from the B major scale.
Is there an easy way to play B?
Yes. Play xx4442, which uses only the top four strings and no full barre. It contains the same notes: B, D# and F#.
What keys is the B chord in?
B is the V chord in E major, IV chord in F# major and I chord in B major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in C# minor, VI chord in Eb minor and III chord in G# minor.
B chord diagram to print or save
Printable B chord PDF (one letter page, black on white) · B chord PNG (1200 px)
