Chords in the Key of B Minor (2 sharps)
B minor shares a signature with D, two sharps. Bm, Em, and F♯7, with G and A close by. Folk ballads and flamenco both end up here.
The seven chords
| Degree | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| i | Bm | minor |
| ii° | C♯ dim | diminished |
| III | D | major |
| iv | Em | minor |
| v | F♯m | minor |
| VI | G | major |
| VII | A | major |
Bm, Em, and F♯m are the minors, D, G, and A the majors, C♯ diminished mostly skipped. The v often turns major, F♯7, when the song wants a harder pull home. That raised note is harmonic minor at work.
Common progressions
Bm, G, A. Rock's minor lane, Zeppelin through grunge.
Bm, Em, F♯7. The minor cadence with the major V pulling it home.
Scales to solo with
B minor pentatonic is the default lead scale, and the B blues scale adds the ♭5. D major pentatonic is the same five notes from the relative major side.
Keep exploring
Relative major
Parallel major
Neighbor keys, one accidental away
Key of B Minor FAQ
What chords are in the key of B minor?
Bm, C♯ diminished, D, Em, F♯m, G, and A. In practice the v is often played major or as F♯7 for a stronger pull back to Bm.
What is the relative major of B minor?
D major. Same key signature, same seven chords, with D treated as home.
Why does B minor use F♯7 if it isn't in the key?
The natural minor's v chord is F♯m, and it pulls home gently. Raising its third turns it into F♯7, which pulls to Bm much harder. That raised note comes from the harmonic minor scale, and cadences borrowed it so often it became the default.