Bdim Chord on Guitar
Notes B D F. Start with the 4-string shape (x 2 3 4 3 x): index on string 5 fret 2, middle on string 4 fret 3, ring on string 2 fret 3, pinky on string 3 fret 4.
Chord · Bdim diminished
Diminished (root on 5th) (fret 2) · x 2 3 4 3 x
movable, no open strings
Bdim, root on string 4 (fret 9) · x x 9 7 6 7
movable, no open strings
Bdim, root on strings 6 and 4 · 7 x 9 7 6 x
movable, no open strings
1 B♭3 D♭5 F
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): index (1), fret 2
- String 4 (D): middle (2), fret 3
- String 3 (G): pinky (4), fret 4
- String 2 (B): ring (3), fret 3
- String 1 (high e): muted, do not play
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): muted, do not play
- String 4 (D): pinky (4), fret 9
- String 3 (G): middle (2), fret 7
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 6
- String 1 (high e): ring (3), fret 7
- String 6 (low E): middle (2), fret 7
- String 5 (A): muted, do not play
- String 4 (D): pinky (4), fret 9
- String 3 (G): ring (3), fret 7
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 6
- String 1 (high e): muted, do not play
Notes and formula
| Degree | Note | Interval from B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | root |
| ♭3 | D | minor 3rd |
| ♭5 | F | diminished 5th |
Formula 1 ♭3 ♭5 (diminished).
Also written B°, B diminished.
More on this chord type: Diminished chords
Easier stand-in
G7
Bdim is G7 without its root. G7 is easier to grip and has the same pull toward C.
Keys that contain Bdim
| Key | Bdim is the |
|---|---|
| A minor | ii° |
| C major | vii° |
Minor keys here use the natural minor scale.
Playing Bdim: what goes wrong
The only diminished chord in C
Bdim (B, D, F) is the vii° chord of C major, the only diminished triad in the key, and the ii° of A minor. In C major the B is the leading tone and pulls up to C.
A G7 without the root
B, D and F are the 3rd, 5th and ♭7 of G7. Bdim can take the place of G7 before C, and G7 is the easy stand-in when the grip is awkward.
Slide the F♯dim grip
x x 9 7 6 7 is the same grip as F♯dim x x 4 2 1 2 five frets higher. The 4-string shape x 2 3 4 3 x needs the index tip to lean onto string 6 to mute it.
Related chords
Learn and practise Bdim
- Metronomepractise the change to Bdim at 60 BPM
- How to read chord chartsstrings, frets, fingers, x and o
- Chord finder (chord namer)name any other shape you find
FAQ
What notes are in Bdim?
B, D, F: the 1, ♭3, ♭5 of the Bdim diminished chord.
Why does Bdim appear in the key of C?
The seventh note of the C major scale is B, and B, D and F stack into a diminished triad. It is the only diminished chord that belongs to the key.