In the key of B, the 1, 4, and 5 chords are B, E, and F sharp. Guitar, banjo, and Dobro players put a capo on the fourth fret and play as if they were in G. Mandolin, fiddle, and bass players have no capo and need to learn the key itself. B comes up at most bluegrass jams, so it is worth a week of practice.
Why singers call B
B suits a strong, high lead voice. A song that feels a little low in A and a little high in C often sits right in B. Bluegrass singing carries best near the top of the singer’s range, and for many voices that is B.
On this site, Fox on the Run and Old Home Place are both listed in B.
The chords
| Number | Chord |
|---|---|
| 1 | B |
| 4 | E |
| 5 | F sharp |
| 6 minor | G sharp minor |
| 2 minor | C sharp minor |
| Flat 7 | A |
Most songs need only the first three. Read the Nashville number system for bluegrass jams.
Guitar
Put a capo on the fourth fret and play G shapes.
| Number | Shape you play | Sounds as |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | B |
| 4 | C | E |
| 5 | D | F sharp |
| 6 minor | E minor | G sharp minor |
The G run, the bass runs, and your Carter style breaks all work as they do in G. The strings feel tighter and the frets are closer together this high on the neck.
Tune after you place the capo. Read how to use a capo in a bluegrass jam.
Banjo
Put a capo on the fourth fret and raise the fifth string to B. That is the 9th fret on the fifth string, with a fifth string capo or a spike. Then play as you do in G.
A banjo goes sharp under a capo this high. Check each string.
Dobro
Use a Dobro capo on the fourth fret and play G positions. With no capo, the straight bar positions are the 4th fret for B, the 9th fret for E, and the 11th fret for F sharp.
Mandolin
The chop chords for B are all closed shapes.
| Chord | G | D | A | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
| E | 4 | 6 | 7 | x |
| F sharp | 6 | 8 | 9 | x |
These three sit close together. The hand moves two frets between E and F sharp and keeps the same shape. Read mandolin chop chords for every jam key.
For breaks, learn the B major scale in one spot on the neck. The mandolin is tuned in fifths, so a scale pattern you know from A works in B, two frets higher, as long as you finger every note and use no open strings.
Fiddle
B is one of the harder keys on the fiddle. The B major scale has five sharps: B, C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, G sharp, and A sharp. Of the four open strings, only E is in the scale.
A plan that works:
Start with backup. Play long notes from the chords. B and F sharp for the B chord. E and B for the E chord. F sharp and C sharp for the F sharp chord.
Learn the B scale in first position. Start with the first finger on the A string. That note is B.
Use the third and fourth fingers more. Few open strings fit the key, so notes you would play open in A or D are fingered in B.
Play the melody for your break. A plain melody in tune beats a fast lick out of tune.
Some fiddlers play B songs in second position, where the hand shape feels like the key of A moved up one step.
Bass
The roots and fifths for the three chords:
| Chord | Root | Fifth |
|---|---|---|
| B | B: A string, 2nd fret | F sharp: D string, 4th fret |
| E | E: open E string | B: A string, 2nd fret |
| F sharp | F sharp: E string, 2nd fret | C sharp: A string, 4th fret |
Only the E is an open string. The rest are stopped notes, so intonation takes more care than in G or D. Read how to play bass in a bluegrass jam.
What to do if B is new to you tonight
Guitar and banjo players: capo four and go.
Mandolin players: find the three chords in the table and chop. Skip the break or play the melody.
Fiddle players: play long backup notes from the chords, at low volume. Pass on the break if you are not ready.
Bass players: find B, E, and F sharp and play roots only.
Nobody minds a player who plays less in a hard key. Read bluegrass jam etiquette.
B flat is close by
Some singers call B flat, one fret below B. Guitar and banjo players capo on the third fret. The chords are B flat, E flat, and F. Mandolin players slide the B shapes down one fret. Fiddle players often find B flat friendlier than B, because the open G and D strings fit the scale.
Practice for a week
Day one: learn the three chords on your instrument.
Day two: play a 1, 4, 5 pattern in B with a metronome. Four bars of B, two of E, two of F sharp, four of B.
Day three: play one song you know in B. Try Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms.
Day four: find the melody of that song in B.
Day five: play along with a recording in B.
For which keys come up and why, read what keys bluegrass jams use.