B major chord on ukulele (B)

B is B, D♯ and F♯. The usual shape is 4-3-2-2. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

How to play B on ukulele

Shape 1, 4-3-2-2, reading from the G string on the left, starts at the 2nd fret:

1. Index finger: E string, 2nd fret (F♯).
2. Middle finger: A string, 2nd fret (B).
3. Ring finger: C string, 3rd fret (D♯).
4. Pinky: G string, 4th fret (B).

• Your little finger has a job in this shape; it gets stronger in a week or two of short daily practice.
• On ukulele you strum all four strings. The top G string is tuned higher than the C, which is why ukulele chords sound bright and close.

Other ways to play B

• 8-6-7-6: movable shape at the 6th fret, medium. Use it when the next chord sits nearby on the neck.
• 11-11-11-9: movable shape at the 9th fret, medium. Higher up the neck it sounds brighter; handy when another guitar is already playing a lower shape.

Playing B with a capo

No barre needed if a capo is allowed: capo on the 1st fret and play the open B♭ shape (3-2-1-1), capo on the 2nd fret and play the open A shape (2-1-0-0), capo on the 4th fret and play the open G shape (0-2-3-2), capo on the 6th fret and play the open F shape (2-0-1-0) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open E shape (1-4-0-2). The chord sounds as B because the capo raises every string by a half step.

Moving between B and its neighbours

The chords B usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

• E (IV in B major): B (4-3-2-2) to E (1-4-0-2): your middle finger stays put, the index finger goes to the G string, 1st fret, move the ring finger to the C string, 4th fret. The two chords share B, which is why the change sounds smooth. E on ukulele
• F♯ (V in B major): B (4-3-2-2) to F♯ (3-1-2-1): the index finger goes to the C string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 1st fret, move the ring finger to the E string, 2nd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. The two chords share F♯, which is why the change sounds smooth. F♯ on ukulele
• G♯m (vi in B major): B (4-3-2-2) to G♯m (4-3-4-2): the index finger slides across to the A string at the same fret, the middle finger goes to the C string, 3rd fret, move the ring finger to the G string, 4th fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Listen for B and D♯, which stay put while the rest moves. G♯m on ukulele

B is a major triad: bright, settled and stable. All 3 notes of B fit on the ukulele's four strings, with one of them doubled. On ukulele you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

A short B drill

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: B, D♯, F♯, B. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Finish by moving between 4-3-2-2 and 8-6-7-6 to learn two positions of the same chord.

Keys and progressions with B

• I in B major
• IV in F♯ major
• V in E major
• III in G♯ minor
• V in E minor
• VI in E♭ minor
• VII in C♯ minor

In B major, I–V–vi–IV on ukulele is B (4-3-2-2), F♯ (3-1-2-1), G♯m (4-3-4-2) and E (1-4-0-2). About the pop progression.

In B major, I–IV–V on ukulele is B (4-3-2-2), E (1-4-0-2) and F♯ (3-1-2-1). About the three-chord progression.

In B major, I–vi–IV–V on ukulele is B (4-3-2-2), G♯m (4-3-4-2), E (1-4-0-2) and F♯ (3-1-2-1). About the 50s progression.

B on guitar and piano

B on guitar and piano uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Related B chords on ukulele

• Bm
• B7
• Bmaj7
• Bsus4
• Badd9
• B6

Other major chords

• C
• C♯
• D
• E♭
• E
• F
• F♯
• G
• A♭
• A
• B♭

Every shape above plays only B, D♯ and F♯, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026. Print this chord