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B minor

B minor has 2 sharps (F♯ and C♯). Its scale is B C♯ D E F♯ G A, its chords are Bm, C♯dim, D, Em, F♯m, G and A, and its relative major is D major.

Make a beat in B minorWrite a melody in this key

Opens the free editor with a trap beat on Bm G D A. No account needed to start.

The B minor scale

Whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole: the half steps come between C♯ and D, and between F♯ and G.

B C♯ D E F♯ G A B

BDEGABC♯F♯

On the piano, B minor uses 2 black keys (C♯ and F♯) and 5 white keys (B, D, E, G and A).

The notes of B minor by scale degree
DegreeNoteName
1BTonic
2C♯Supertonic
3DMediant
4ESubdominant
5F♯Dominant
6GSubmediant
7ASubtonic

The raised seventh

Many songs in B minor raise A to A♯. That makes the harmonic minor scale, B C♯ D E F♯ G A♯, and turns the fifth chord from F♯m into F♯ major, which pulls hard back to Bm. The editor’s minor progressions play the fifth chord that way.

Chords in B minor

One chord on each note of the scale, built from the scale’s own notes. The Roman numeral says which note it starts on: capitals are major, small letters minor.

iBm
ii°C♯dim
IIID
ivEm
vF♯m
VIG
VIIA

Which chords sound happy or sad

Dark

Bm Em F♯m

i, iv, v. The minor chords. Bm is home, and the key’s sad colour.

Lifting

D G A

III, VI, VII. The major chords, which bring light into a minor song.

Tense

C♯dim

ii°. Diminished: tense and unstable, so most minor songs use it only in passing.

A progression in B minor

The epic minor · i–VI–III–VII
Bm
G
D
A
Hear it as

More progressions in B minor

Key signature and related keys

Key signature

2 sharps: F♯ C♯

Written at the start of every line of music, so each F and C is played sharp. Sharps join in the order F C G D A E B, and flats in the order B E A D G C F.

Relative major

D major

The same seven notes and key signature, starting on D.

Parallel major

B major

The same home note, with 5 sharps. Borrowing a chord from it makes a part sound brighter.

Next to it on the circle of fifths

Keys next to each other share six of their seven notes. See them all on the circle of fifths.

B minor in beats

The editor’s starter beats for these styles are written in B minor. Each opens the free editor with its own drums, bass and chords at its usual tempo, no account needed.

Dance-pop · 124 BPMMelodic trap · 145 BPM

Questions about B minor

How many sharps are in B minor?

Two: F♯ and C♯. Those notes are played sharp every time, so the key signature has 2 sharps, and D major, its relative major, has the same.

What is the relative major of B minor?

D major. It uses the same seven notes and the same key signature as B minor, but starts on D, the third note of the scale. The two share every chord, which is why songs move between them so easily.

What chords are in B minor?

Bm, C♯dim, D, Em, F♯m, G and A: one built on each note of the scale (i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI, VII). Many songs play the fifth chord as F♯ major instead of F♯m: its A♯ pulls hard back to Bm.

What is a common chord progression in B minor?

i–VI–III–VII: Bm, G, D and A. It is the minor key’s best-known loop, heard in anthems, EDM and film, and it is the one the beat on this page plays.

Every key

Major keys
C majorG majorD majorA majorE majorB majorF♯ majorD♭ majorA♭ majorE♭ majorB♭ majorF major
Minor keys
A minorE minorB minorF♯ minorC♯ minorG♯ minorD♯ minorB♭ minorF minorC minorG minorD minor

Build a song in B minor

Start with the beat, then add chords, a melody and your voice in the editor, part by part.

Make a beat in B minorAll music keys

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