Learn › B Major Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
New Released in April 2026
B Major Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
B triad inversions on guitar: the three notes B, D# and F# on three neighbouring strings, in three positions on each of four string sets. Twelve small shapes that cover the whole neck.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
Where B sits on the neck
Play only the three strings shown. Inside each set the three shapes follow each other up the neck: when one ends, the next begins.
G-B-e strings
Root position
1st inversion
2nd inversion
D-G-B strings
2nd inversion
Root position
1st inversion
A-D-G strings
1st inversion
2nd inversion
Root position
E-A-D strings
2nd inversion
Root position
1st inversion
Same chord, different bottom note
Root position puts B at the bottom, 1st inversion puts D# at the bottom, 2nd inversion puts F# at the bottom. It is still B; what changes is the lowest and the highest note you hear.
Bright and stable: the triad most songs are built on.
Fret chart for B triads
| String set | Root position | 1st inversion | 2nd inversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-B-e strings | x x x 4 4 2 | x x x 8 7 7 | x x x 11 12 11 |
| D-G-B strings | x x 9 8 7 x | x x 13 11 12 x | x x 4 4 4 x |
| A-D-G strings | x 14 13 11 x x | x 6 4 4 x x | x 9 9 8 x x |
| E-A-D strings | 7 6 4 x x x | 11 9 9 x x x | 2 2 1 x x x |
Frets from the low E string to the high E string; x = string not played.
Make B triads automatic
- Learn the three shapes on the top strings first, slowly, saying the bottom note each time.
- Climb the neck through the three shapes and come back down without stopping.
- Pick one fret area, around fret 9, and find B on every string set without moving your hand far.
- Then test yourself: random chord names, find the closest B shape each time.
A few minutes a day on one string set is enough; add the next set next week.
How to move between the shapes
Climbing the G-B-e strings: root position (fret 4) → 1st inversion (fret 8) → 2nd inversion (fret 12). Listen to the top note, F#, B, D#: it is a little melody inside one chord.
Around fret 9, without moving the hand: G-B-e strings 8-7-7; D-G-B strings 9-8-7; A-D-G strings 9-9-8; E-A-D strings 7-6-4.
Train chord changes on your guitar
The game shows chord symbols, not diagrams, so you choose the shape: any inversion of B counts, as long as the microphone hears the right notes.
Play the demoCommon questions
What are the inversions of B on guitar?
Root position (B at the bottom), 1st inversion (D# at the bottom) and 2nd inversion (F# at the bottom). On the top three strings: Root position 4-4-2; 1st inversion 8-7-7; 2nd inversion 11-12-11.
Which B triad shape is the easiest?
Usually the lowest one on the top strings, 4-4-2, because it sits near the nut.
What does a B triad sound like?
Bright and stable: the triad most songs are built on.
Can I practise B with a game that listens to my guitar?
Yes. ChordRunner hears your guitar through the microphone and checks the chord in any shape or inversion. A USB MIDI keyboard works too.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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