Playing B major chords on baritone ukulele is the same as playing A major chords—just two frets higher (toward the bridge). I recommend learning the A major chords first. Then all you have to do is slide two frets up for the B chords.
In this article we cover five different ways to play B major chords. At the end, I’ve included an Appendix for Theory Nerds, to show where a B major chord appears in the keys that you’ll typically be using on baritone uke.
If you need to review the five basic major chord shapes in their open and moveable shapes, check out this article with lots of full-color diagrams.
Color key:
B Major – Option 1
For option 1, go to the 2nd fret and use the moveable A major shape.
Here is the music notation for option 1:
Tip: There are five moveable chord shapes you can use to play major chords across the neck on baritone ukulele. Commit to learning all five!
B Major – Option 2
For option 2, move to the 4th fret and use the moveable G shape to make a B major chord.
Here’s how option 2 looks in music notation:
B Major – Option 3
For option 3, move to the 7th fret and use the moveable E shape for another way to play a B major chord.
Here’s what option 3 looks like in music notation:
B Major – Option 4
For option 4, move to the 9th fret and use the moveable D shape to play a B major chord.
Many players find this shape to be rather difficult. But even if you skip this position (you can choose option 3 or option 5 instead) it’s still helpful to understand this shape and how it fits into the sequence with the other shapes.
The sequence of the shapes is explained in more detail below. Meanwhile, notice how each shape begins where the previous shape ended.
Here is option 4 in notation:
B Major – Option 5
For option 5, move to the 11th fret and use the moveable C shape to play a B major chord.
Here is what option 5 looks like in music notation:
How to remember the order of the chord shapes as you move across the neck
Let’s review the options above. To play a B major chord, use these shapes:
- moveable A shape – 2nd fret
- moveable G shape – 4th fret
- moveable E shape – 7th fret
- moveable D shape – 9th fret
- moveable C shape – 11th fret
Remember that there are five moveable shapes you can use to play major chords across the neck. Use these five shapes on different frets to play all the major chords on baritone ukulele.
You can easily remember the order in which to use these shapes with the word CAGED. Whichever shape you start with, continue with the next shapes in order of the letters in the word CAGED.
For example, to play B major chords on baritone ukulele, we begin with the A major shape on the 2nd fret (see option 1 above). The next shape will be the G shape, because G comes after A in the word CAGED. After that, the next shape will be the E shape, and so on.
This is called the CAGED method. This sequence works for every major chord.
For more options for playing chords across the neck, check out my article about the CAGED method for baritone ukulele. I spent weeks on those illustrations. Hope you find them helpful!
Appendix for Theory Nerds
This chart shows you where a B major triad occurs, in terms of scale degree, in the six easiest keys for baritone ukulele.
I recommend focusing on the easiest keys for baritone uke, and using a capo if you absolutely must play in other keys.
Some ukulele and guitar teachers recommend focusing on just two keys, C major and G major. I think that’s a great idea, for starters. But for baritone ukulele, I also recommend working with the key of D, because D is the lowest note on your bari uke.
Learning those three keys, and how to use a capo, will allow you play almost popular any song. But, at the most, I would stick to the six easiest keys for baritone ukulele.
Getting back to our B major chords and the 5 options shown above, any particular major chord functions as a different scale degree in different keys. Like this:
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