Bdim, diminished chord
B, D and F
- Root
- B
- Minor third
- D
- Diminished fifth
- F
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 (3, 6 half steps above B)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | B | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
B diminished inversions
B diminished has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
Bdim
Root position
| Notes | B | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Bdim/D
First inversion
| Notes | D | F | B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Bdim/F
Second inversion
| Notes | F | B | D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with B diminished
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. B diminished appears as:
- vii° in C major
- ii° in A minor
- vii° in C minor
How B diminished is built
B is the root, D the minor third and F the diminished fifth.
A diminished chord stacks two minor thirds: the root, a minor third (3 half steps up) and a diminished fifth (6 half steps up). It sounds tense and usually moves on to another chord.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of B diminished are B, D, F. That is why it is spelled B, D and F.
Find B diminished yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of B diminished, in any octave and any order.
Practice B diminished in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the B diminished chord?
B diminished (Bdim) has three notes: B, D and F. B is the root, D the minor third and F the diminished fifth.
What fingers do you use for B diminished on piano?
In root position, play B, D and F with right hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of B diminished?
B diminished has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Bdim/D): D, F and B. Second inversion (Bdim/F): F, B and D.
What key is B diminished in?
B diminished appears as vii° in C major, ii° in A minor and vii° in C minor.