Learning chords is an integral part of playing the guitar. They form one of the foundations of playing guitar and allow one to explore a wide range of sonic possibilities. Learning chords can be challenging at first but with practice, one can easily attain fluency in playing them. In this article, we will learn how to play the B major chord. We will share all the tips and tricks with some variations to help you learn this chord smoothly.
B Chord Variations
We will explore 4 levels of the B major chord today. Let’s dive right into it.
Level 1 :
This variation of the B major chord is a favourite for various reasons. First of all, it’s easy to play, which makes it popular amongst novices. But mind you, it is extremely tastefully used by expert guitarists in their compositions. Secondly, this variation has a very bright, uplifting and open sound to it. Lastly, it has a complicated name which helps you show off a bit as a beginner.
The exact name of this variation is Bmaj add11/E. Say ‘B major added eleven slash e’.
Now that we’ve got the show off part, let’s learn how to play it.
Place your 2nd/middle finger on the 9th fret of the A string.
Place your 3rd/ring finger on the 9th fret of the D string.
Place your 1st/forefinger on the 8th fret of the G string.
Play the low E, the b string and the high E string open. You can strum all 6 strings of this chord.
Level 2 :
This variation is used mostly in the funk style of playing guitar. It uses only the first three strings and can be a gateway to level 3 of the B major chord.
Here’s how you play it:
Place your 3rd/ring finger on the 4th fret of the G string.
Place your 4th/little finger on the 4th fret of the B string.
Place your 1st / forefinger on the 2nd fret of the high E string.
It’s important to ensure that you play only the first three strings. Hitting the E, A and D open strings can make this chord sound quite dissonant.
Level 3 :
Learning this variation means you are now starting to get serious about playing the guitar. It uses the first five strings of the guitar and can be played with or without a barre. The root note of this chord lies on the 5th string. Here’s how to play it.
Place your 1st/forefinger on the 2nd fret of the A string.
Place your 2nd/middle finger on the 4th fret of the D string.
Place your 3rd/ring finger on the 4th fret of the G string.
Place your 4th/little finger on the 4th fret of the B string.
You can either barre the high E string on the 2nd fret with your 1st finger or simply not play it. It will still sound good. Use this chord while strumming some chord progressions.
Level 4 :
Playing this variation tells that you have mastered the chords on the guitar and are ready to play or jam with other musicians. It is a barre chord and uses all six strings of the guitar. Playing this chord requires a significant amount of practice. The root note of this chord lies on the 6th string.
Let’s learn how to play it:
Place the 1st/forefinger on the 7th fret to barre the 6th, 2nd and 1st string of the guitar.
While holding the barre with your first finger –
Place your 2nd/middle finger on the 8th fret of the G string.
Place your 3rd/ring finger on the 9th fret of the A string.
Place your 4th/little finger on the 9th fret of the D string.
Once you master this variation, it opens a lot of possibilities for playing chords over the fretboard.
It’s important to listen to how each of these variations of the B major chord sounds to your ear. This will enable you to understand the variations and know when and how to use them in your musical journey. No matter what level of playing you are, you can use any of these variations and experiment with them.
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Conclusion
The B major chord can be challenging at first. Start with a variation that feels the most comfortable. Use it in your playing. Then move on to the second variation of your choice. Practise it enough to be able to apply it musically in your playing. Gradually master all the variations and experiment with them. You can learn more about such chords, their variations and their applications with our comprehensive guitar course at Artium Academy.
