Banjo B chord (Double C)B major on the 5-string banjo: 3 4 3 4, and 2 more shapes

B chord chart for 5-string banjo in Double C tuning: 3 4 3 4, first position, with the short 5th string marked
B (B major) on the 5-string banjo, Double C: 3 4 3 4, string 4 to string 1. Fingers are numbered on the dots; copper marks the root; the green ring on the left is the 5th string, solid when it’s in the chord.

Frets, string 4 to string 1: 3 4 3 4 (first position)

  1. String 4 (C): 3rd fret, index finger (barre), D♯
  2. String 3 (G): 4th fret, middle finger, B
  3. String 2 (C): 3rd fret, index finger (barre), D♯
  4. String 1 (D): 4th fret, ring finger, F♯
  5. String 5, the short g: open, G, not in the chord

Sounds: D♯ B D♯ F♯  ·  B is B, D♯, F♯ (1 · 3 · 5)

Found in: B major (I), B mixolydian (I), E major (V), F♯ major (IV), F♯ mixolydian (IV), D♭ mixolydian (♭VII)

The 5th string: the short g rubs against the F♯ in this shape, a semitone away: some players let it ring, some skip it.

Double C tuning: gCGCD, the short 5th string first, then strings 4 to 1.

Hear it in the app ›

The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts in open G. Choose Double C once in its Settings and it remembers.

More B shapes

  1. 6fr1314gF♯D♯F♯B6 8 6 9
    6fr
  2. 11fr1113gBF♯BD♯11 11 11 13
    11fr

Other B chords in Double C

BBmB7Bm7Bmaj7B6Bsus4Bsus2Bdim

Other major chords

GADCBEFB♭E♭F♯C♯A♭

B in other tunings

Open GSawmillOpen DC Tuning

All Double C banjo chords · Printable chart (PDF) · How to tune · The app