Which notes are in the Bdim chord?

Bdim contains the notes B, D and F. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – ♭3 – ♭5.

How many ways can you play Bdim?

Minory lists a single guitar fingering for Bdim.

Is the Bdim chord hard to play?

Bdim requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.

B diminished · Guitar

Bdim Chord on Guitar

The Bdim chord (B diminished) is built from the notes B, D and F. The guitar fingering for it is shown below.

Chord diagrams

Bdimstarts at fret 6

Fingering

string 6 (E): fret 7 — middle finger
string 5 (A): muted
string 4 (D): muted
string 3 (G): fret 7 — ring finger
string 2 (B): fret 6 — index finger
string 1 (E): fret 7 — little finger

Notes in this chord

Degrees: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5

How to play

Bdim can be played with open strings on guitar, which makes it an accessible shape for beginners. Strings marked ○ ring open, while strings marked ✕ are muted.

Theory behind the chord

Diminished triads stack two minor thirds, so both the third and the fifth are lowered. The result is unstable and restless, and it usually appears as a passing chord between two stable ones. On Bdim this structure sits on the root B, so the degrees 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 map onto B, D and F.

Frequently asked questions

Which notes are in the Bdim chord?: Bdim contains the notes B, D and F. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – ♭3 – ♭5.
How many ways can you play Bdim?: Minory lists a single guitar fingering for Bdim.
Is the Bdim chord hard to play?: Bdim requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.

Practise Bdim on your phone

Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.