Playing in B major on the harmonica
Which harp and which position
The key of B major (also written C flat major) can be played several ways depending on the harp you have at hand. Here are the three workable positions on a standard diatonic.
| Harp | Position | Mode | Style | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | 1st position (straight harp) | Ionian | folk, country, melody | easy |
| E | 2nd position (cross harp) | Mixolydian | blues, rock, pop | easy |
| F# | 12th position | Lydian | bright major, film | advanced |
The E harp in 2nd position (cross harp)
The draw chord sounds the tonic of the song. The bend on hole 3 gives you the blue note. By far the most used position in blues, rock and pop.
Richter layout of the E harp
The ten holes of the E harp. The gold cells mark the tonic B, your resting note when you play in B major.
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blow | E | G# | B | E | G# | B | E | G# | B | E |
| Draw | F# | B | D# | F# | A | C# | D# | F# | A | C# |
The degrees of the song
In B major, the three degrees that carry the accompaniment:
I BIV EV F#
Going further
Other keys
The full calculator in the app
Enter your key and the app gives you the harp, the position and highlights the tonic holes on the interactive Richter. Free, no account required.
Open the Harmonica Hub →Frequently asked questions
Which harmonica should I use to play in B major?
A diatonic E harp played in 2nd position (cross harp): that is the most common combination for blues, rock, pop. In 1st position (straight harp), take a B harp.
Which position for the harmonica in B major?
On a diatonic harmonica the position depends on the harp. The three options for this key: 1st position (straight harp) on a B harp, 2nd position (cross harp) on a E harp, 12th position on a F# harp.
What are the basic chords in B major?
The three main degrees are B (tonic), E (subdominant) and F# (dominant). These are the chords the diatonic brings out best.