Chords in every key · 2 sharps
Chords in the key of B minor
The seven chords in B minor are Bm, C♯°, D, Em, F♯m, G and A. B minor has two sharps: F♯ and C♯.
The seven chords
Play the chords of B minor
Tap a chord to hear it. The A chord written by its place in the key: upper case for major (IV), lower case for minor (vi), ° for diminished. is its place in the key; the colour is its job: home, moving away, or pulling back home.
On guitar, D, Em, G and A have A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em., which makes B minor one of the friendliest keys to strum in.
Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work
Key signature and scale
The B minor scale
B minor has two sharps: F♯ and C♯.
- B1
- C♯2
- D♭3
- E4
- F♯5
- G♭6
- A♭7
- B, the tonic
- Other scale notes
Progressions
Common chord progressions in B minor
The same patterns of A chord written by its place in the key: upper case for major (IV), lower case for minor (vi), ° for diminished. turn up in thousands of songs. Here they are in this key, ready to play.
Minor pop
i – VI – III – VII
- Bm
- G
- D
- A
The pop axis rotated to start on the relative minor — same four chords, darker centre.
Heard in Zombie, Numb, Despacito
Minor pop in every keyAndalusian cadence
i – VII – VI – V
- Bm
- A
- G
- F♯
A stepwise walk down to a major V borrowed from harmonic minor. Flamenco's signature move.
Heard in Hit the Road Jack, Runaway, Stray Cat Strut
Andalusian cadence in every keyMinor ii–V–i
iiø7 – V7 – i7
- C♯m7♭5
- F♯7
- Bm7
Half-diminished ii, dominant V7 and back to the minor tonic.
Heard in Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves
Minor ii–V–i in every key
Related keys
Keys close to B minor
Keys that share most of their notes sound natural side by side, which is why songs so often move between them.
- Relative major: same notesD majorD, Em, F♯m, G, A, Bm and C♯°
- Parallel major: same tonicB majorB, C♯m, D♯m, E, F♯, G♯m and A♯°
- One step anticlockwiseE minorEm, F♯°, G, Am, Bm, C and D
- One step clockwiseF♯ minorF♯m, G♯°, A, Bm, C♯m, D and E
Capo
Play B minor with a capo
B minor's main chords are Bm, Em, F♯m and G. With the A clamp across all six strings at one fret. It raises every open string, so familiar shapes play in a higher key. on The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step. 2, play them as Am, Dm, Em and F: three of the four are A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em..
- Capo 2Am Dm Em FA minor shapes · 3 of 4 openOpen in the capo tool
- Capo 7Em Am Bm CE minor shapes · 3 of 4 openOpen in the capo tool
Questions
B minor, in short
- What chords are in the key of B minor?
- The seven chords in B minor are Bm, C♯°, D, Em, F♯m, G and A. B minor has two sharps: F♯ and C♯.
- What is the relative major of B minor?
- D major. It uses the same seven notes and the same The sharps or flats written at the start of each line of music, telling you which notes the key changes. as B minor, so the two keys share all their chords.
- How many sharps are in B minor?
- B minor has two sharps: F♯ and C♯.
- Which keys are next to B minor on the circle of fifths?
- E minor (one step anticlockwise) and F♯ minor (one step clockwise). Their chords overlap most with B minor's, which makes them the easiest keys to change to.