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B Diminished Chord on Guitar

1243

Root on string 5

B diminished, written Bdim, is a diminished chord: a minor third and a flat fifth, a tense sound that leads somewhere else. Bdim has no open shape, so it is usually played as a 4-string shape near the nut.

How to play Bdim, finger by finger

  1. Put your index finger on string 5 at the 2nd fret.
  2. Put your middle finger on string 4 at the 3rd fret.
  3. Put your ring finger on string 2 at the 3rd fret.
  4. Put your pinky finger on string 3 at the 4th fret.
  5. Strum strings 5 to 2 only.

More ways to play Bdim

7fr2341
Root on string 6 from fret 7
241
Open near the nut
4fr4213
Open, fret 4 from fret 4
5fr3142
Movable, fret 5 from fret 5
6fr4213
Movable, fret 6 from fret 6
7fr132
Movable, fret 7 from fret 7
9fr1243
Movable, fret 9 from fret 9
12fr4123
Movable, fret 12 from fret 12

Notes in B diminished

NoteIntervalRole
B1root
D♭3minor third
F♭5flat fifth

Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5

Questions about Bdim

What notes are in Bdim?

B, D and F. Those are the 1, ♭3, ♭5 of the chord, counted from B.

Which strings do I strum for Bdim?

Start on string 5 and strum down to string 1, and leave the strings marked with an X silent.

What chord does Bdim lead to?

Most often C. The root of Bdim sits a half step below C, so it leads up into C.

Often played with Bdim

Other diminished chords