Bluegrass I–IV–V Progression in B Major for Banjo
The B Major scale on banjo: the Bluegrass I–IV–V progression in its chords, with tab you can play along to in the interactive lesson.
Notes: B C# D# E F# G# A#
Tuning: Standard (G D G B D)
Scale
Scale shapes
3NPS - First Position
D|--9--11--13--14--16-| B|--9--11--13---------| G|--9--11--13---------| D|-11--12--14---------| G|-13--14--16---------|
Basic Chords
Chords
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Fingering (low to high) |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | B | B D# F# | x x x 0 4 |
| I | B | B D# F# | x 1 4 0 4 |
| I | B | B D# F# | x 4 4 0 1 |
| I | B | B D# F# | x 1 4 4 4 |
| II | C#m | C# E G# | 11 11 9 9 11 |
| III | D#m | D# F# A# | 13 13 11 11 13 |
| IV | E | E G# B | 9 9 9 9 9 |
| V | F# | F# A# C# | 11 11 11 11 11 |
| VI | G#m | G# B D# | 6 6 4 4 6 |
| VII | A#dim | A# C# E | x x x 2 2 |
| VII | A#dim | A# C# E | x x 3 2 2 |
| VII | A#dim | A# C# E | x 2 3 2 2 |
| VII | A#dim | A# C# E | x 2 3 2 x |
Bluegrass I–IV–V (I–I–IV–I–I–I–V–I)
Chords: B – B – E – B – B – B – F# – B
D|4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4---|4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4---| B|0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---|0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|9-------------------13--16--9-------------------13--16--9-------|4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4---| B|9-----------11--12----------9-----------11--12----------9-------|0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---| G|9-------11------------------9-------11------------------9-------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|9---13----------------------9---13----------------------9---13--|----------------------------------------------------------------| G|9---------------------------9---------------------------9-------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4---|4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4---| B|0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---|0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|11------------------14--18--11------------------14--18--11------|4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4-------4---4---| B|11----------12--14----------11----------12--14----------11------|0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---4-------0---| G|11------13------------------11------13------------------11------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|11--14----------------------11--14----------------------11--14--|----------------------------------------------------------------| G|11--------------------------11--------------------------11------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
Seventh Chords
Chords
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Fingering (low to high) |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Bmaj7 | B D# F# A# | x 1 3 0 1 |
| I | Bmaj7 | B D# F# A# | x 1 3 0 x |
| I | Bmaj7 | B D# F# A# | x x 3 0 1 |
| I | Bmaj7 | B D# F# A# | x 1 3 0 4 |
| II | C#m7 | C# E G# B | x 2 1 0 2 |
| II | C#m7 | C# E G# B | x 2 1 0 x |
| II | C#m7 | C# E G# B | x x 1 0 2 |
| II | C#m7 | C# E G# B | x 2 4 2 2 |
| III | D#m7 | D# F# A# C# | x 1 3 2 1 |
| III | D#m7 | D# F# A# C# | x 1 3 2 x |
| III | D#m7 | D# F# A# C# | x x 3 2 1 |
| III | D#m7 | D# F# A# C# | x 1 3 2 4 |
| IV | Emaj7 | E G# B D# | x x 1 0 1 |
| IV | Emaj7 | E G# B D# | x 1 1 0 1 |
| IV | Emaj7 | E G# B D# | x 1 1 0 x |
| IV | Emaj7 | E G# B D# | x 2 1 0 1 |
| V | F#7 | F# A# C# E | x x 3 2 2 |
| V | F#7 | F# A# C# E | x 2 3 2 2 |
| V | F#7 | F# A# C# E | x 2 3 2 x |
| V | F#7 | F# A# C# E | x 4 3 2 2 |
| VI | G#m7 | G# B D# F# | x x 1 0 4 |
| VI | G#m7 | G# B D# F# | x 1 1 0 4 |
| VI | G#m7 | G# B D# F# | x 1 4 0 4 |
| VI | G#m7 | G# B D# F# | x 4 1 0 1 |
| VII | A#m7b5 | A# C# E G# | x 2 1 2 2 |
| VII | A#m7b5 | A# C# E G# | x 2 1 2 x |
| VII | A#m7b5 | A# C# E G# | x x 1 2 2 |
| VII | A#m7b5 | A# C# E G# | 6 2 1 2 2 |
Bluegrass I–IV–V (I–I–IV–I–I–I–V–I)
Chords: Bmaj7 – Bmaj7 – Emaj7 – Bmaj7 – Bmaj7 – Bmaj7 – F#7 – Bmaj7
D|1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1---|1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1---| B|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---| G|3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---|3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---| D|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1---|1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1---| B|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---| G|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---|3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---| D|----------------------------------------------------------------|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1---|1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1---| B|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---| G|3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---|3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---| D|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|2-----------6---8---2-----------6---8---2-----------6---8---2---|1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1---| B|2-------5-----------2-------5-----------2-------5-----------2---|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---| G|3---6---------------3---6---------------3---6---------------3---|3-------------------3-------------------3-------------------3---| D|----------------------------------------------------------------|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
Ninth Chords
Chords
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Fingering (low to high) |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Bmaj9 | B D# F# A# C# | x 1 3 2 x |
| I | Bmaj9 | B D# F# A# C# | x x 3 2 1 |
| I | Bmaj9 | B D# F# A# C# | x x 4 2 1 |
| I | Bmaj9 | B D# F# A# C# | x 1 3 2 4 |
| II | C#m9 | C# E G# B D# | x x 1 0 1 |
| II | C#m9 | C# E G# B D# | x 1 1 0 x |
| II | C#m9 | C# E G# B D# | x 2 1 0 1 |
| II | C#m9 | C# E G# B D# | x 1 1 0 2 |
| III | D#m7b9 | D# F# A# C# E | x 1 3 2 2 |
| III | D#m7b9 | D# F# A# C# E | x 2 3 2 1 |
| III | D#m7b9 | D# F# A# C# E | x x 3 2 2 |
| III | D#m7b9 | D# F# A# C# E | x 2 3 2 x |
| IV | Emaj9 | E G# B D# F# | x x 1 0 4 |
| IV | Emaj9 | E G# B D# F# | x 1 1 0 4 |
| IV | Emaj9 | E G# B D# F# | x 4 1 0 1 |
| IV | Emaj9 | E G# B D# F# | x 4 1 0 x |
| V | F#9 | F# A# C# E G# | x 2 1 2 x |
| V | F#9 | F# A# C# E G# | x x 1 2 2 |
| V | F#9 | F# A# C# E G# | x 4 1 2 2 |
| V | F#9 | F# A# C# E G# | x 4 1 2 x |
| VI | G#m9 | G# B D# F# A# | x 1 3 0 x |
| VI | G#m9 | G# B D# F# A# | x x 3 0 1 |
| VI | G#m9 | G# B D# F# A# | x 1 3 0 4 |
| VI | G#m9 | G# B D# F# A# | x 4 3 0 1 |
| VII | A#m7b5b9 | A# C# E G# B | x 2 1 0 x |
| VII | A#m7b5b9 | A# C# E G# B | x x 1 0 2 |
| VII | A#m7b5b9 | A# C# E G# B | x x 3 0 2 |
| VII | A#m7b5b9 | A# C# E G# B | x 2 3 0 x |
Bluegrass I–IV–V (I–I–IV–I–I–I–V–I)
Chords: Bmaj9 – Bmaj9 – Emaj9 – Bmaj9 – Bmaj9 – Bmaj9 – F#9 – Bmaj9
D|--------------------4---8-----------------------4---8-----------|--------------------4---8-----------------------4---8-----------| B|2-----------2---4-----------2-----------2---4-----------2-------|2-----------2---4-----------2-----------2---4-----------2-------| G|3-------3-------------------3-------3-------------------3-------|3-------3-------------------3-------3-------------------3-------| D|1---4-----------------------1---4-----------------------1---4---|1---4-----------------------1---4-----------------------1---4---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|4-----------4---6---4-----------4---6---4-----------4---6---4---|--------------------4---8-----------------------4---8-----------| B|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---|2-----------2---4-----------2-----------2---4-----------2-------| G|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---|3-------3-------------------3-------3-------------------3-------| D|----------------------------------------------------------------|1---4-----------------------1---4-----------------------1---4---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|--------------------4---8-----------------------4---8-----------|--------------------4---8-----------------------4---8-----------| B|2-----------2---4-----------2-----------2---4-----------2-------|2-----------2---4-----------2-----------2---4-----------2-------| G|3-------3-------------------3-------3-------------------3-------|3-------3-------------------3-------3-------------------3-------| D|1---4-----------------------1---4-----------------------1---4---|1---4-----------------------1---4-----------------------1---4---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|--------------------6-----------------------6-------------------|--------------------4---8-----------------------4---8-----------| B|2-----------4---5-------2-----------4---5-------2-----------4---|2-----------2---4-----------2-----------2---4-----------2-------| G|1---1---4---------------1---1---4---------------1---1---4-------|3-------3-------------------3-------3-------------------3-------| D|2-----------------------2-----------------------2---------------|1---4-----------------------1---4-----------------------1---4---| G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|