B Major Scale

The major-scale pattern needs half steps between degrees 3-4 and 7-8. In B major those pairs are D sharp-E and A sharp-B. If you use D natural, the first half step moves to C sharp-D; if you use A natural, the final approach to B becomes a whole step. The spelling preserves one occurrence of each letter A through G.

Its key signature lists F, C, G, D and A as sharp. E major has the first four of those sharps; B major adds A sharp. Compare both scales: E major has A natural, while B major has A sharp.

The seven triads are B, C sharp minor, D sharp minor, E, F sharp major, G sharp minor and A sharp diminished. Try B-E-F sharp-B. F sharp major contains F sharp-A sharp-C sharp. The A sharp in that chord sits a half step below B and can move there when the loop closes.

The relative minor is G sharp minor. It shares the five-sharp signature but puts G sharp at the center. Play B-D sharp-F sharp over B, then G sharp-B-D sharp over G sharp to hear the distinction.

Play the scale in two parts: B-C sharp-D sharp-E, then F sharp-G sharp-A sharp-B. Each part finishes with a half step. Name the sharp note before each white-key landing.