B Minor Key Signature

B minor has 2 sharps — F♯, C♯. Here's the signature on the staff, the full scale, its relative major, and the trick to recognize it instantly.

key signature with 2 sharps
Accidentals
2 sharps — F♯, C♯
Minor scale
B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A
Relative major
D major
Tonic
B

Go further

Practice free in your browser

400+ questions, seven free lessons, ear training, and progress tracking — 100% private: no account, no data collected.

Open the practice app

Reading the B Minor signature

B minor borrows its 2 sharps straight from its relative major, D major. Beyond the signature, minor keys typically raise the seventh degree into a leading tone, so expect an extra accidental in the music that the key signature never shows.

The B Minor scale

The B minor scale runs B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A. Every sharpened note in the piece takes the key's accidentals automatically, which is exactly what the signature saves you from writing note by note.

B Minor and its relative major

B minor shares its signature — 2 sharps — with its relative major, D major, a minor third above the tonic. They use the same seven pitches; what tells them apart is which note the music settles on and treats as home.

Neighboring keys on the circle of fifths

B Minor — frequently asked

How many sharps or flats does B minor have?

B minor has 2 sharps — F♯, C♯.

What is the relative major of B minor?

The relative major of B minor is D major — it shares the identical key signature (2 sharps).

What notes are in the B minor scale?

The B minor scale is B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A.

Go further

Practice free in your browser

400+ questions, seven free lessons, ear training, and progress tracking — 100% private: no account, no data collected.

Open the practice app