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Piano chord

B♭dimB flat diminished

  • B♭1
  • D♭♭3
  • F♭♭5
Notes
3
Positions
3
Span
6semitones
Fingers
1-3-5

How to play B♭dim on piano

  1. Find B♭: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
  2. Right hand: 1 on B♭, 3 on D♭, 5 on F♭.
  3. Or with the left hand: 5 on B♭, 3 on D♭, 1 on F♭.
  4. Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
  1. B♭dim on piano, Root position: B♭ D♭ F♭B♭, D♭, F♭F♭B♭D♭513
    B♭dim on piano, Root position: B♭ D♭ F♭B♭, D♭, F♭F♭B♭D♭153

    Root position · B♭ – D♭ – F♭

  2. B♭dim on piano, 1st inversion: D♭ F♭ B♭D♭, F♭, B♭F♭D♭B♭215
    B♭dim on piano, 1st inversion: D♭ F♭ B♭D♭, F♭, B♭F♭D♭B♭351

    1st inversion · D♭ – F♭ – B♭

  3. B♭dim on piano, 2nd inversion: F♭ B♭ D♭F♭, B♭, D♭F♭B♭D♭135
    B♭dim on piano, 2nd inversion: F♭ B♭ D♭F♭, B♭, D♭F♭B♭D♭521

    2nd inversion · F♭ – B♭ – D♭

Numbers on the keys are fingers: 1 thumb, 2 index, 3 middle, 4 ring, 5 little finger.

B♭dim inversions

Here are all 3 positions of B♭dim. The notes stay the same, only their order changes: root position has B♭ at the bottom, and every inversion starts on the next chord tone.

Chords that go with B♭dim

The other chords of B major, the key where B♭dim is home (vii°). Songs in this key move between them.

B♭dim with two hands

A full sound: the left hand plays B♭ an octave lower, the right hand plays B♭–D♭–F♭.

B♭dim with two handsB♭, B♭, D♭, F♭F♭B♭B♭D♭5513

B♭dim on other instruments

About the B♭dim chord

The 3 notes of B flat diminished are B♭ (1), D♭ (♭3), F♭ (♭5). A diminished triad: two minor thirds stacked, with a flat fifth. Tense and unstable, it leads strongly to the next chord.

Put your thumb on B♭ and count up: B♭ – D♭ – F♭. The whole chord spans 6 semitones from bottom to top. That fits inside an octave, so one hand covers B♭dim without stretching.

The inversions of B♭dim keep the same notes in a new order. In the 1st inversion the bass is D♭ (D♭–F♭–B♭). In the 2nd inversion the bass is F♭ (F♭–B♭–D♭).

Take A𝄫 out of B♭dim7 and you get B♭dim.

B♭dim belongs to B major (vii°), G sharp minor (ii°).

Questions

What notes are in the B♭dim chord?

B♭dim (B flat diminished) has 3 notes: B♭ (1), D♭ (♭3), F♭ (♭5).

How many inversions does B♭dim have?

B♭dim can be played in 3 positions: Root position (B♭–D♭–F♭); 1st inversion (D♭–F♭–B♭); 2nd inversion (F♭–B♭–D♭).

What is the difference between B♭dim and B♭dim7?

Take A𝄫 out of B♭dim7 and you get B♭dim.

Can I play B♭dim with one hand?

Yes. In root position B♭dim spans 6 semitones, less than an octave, so one hand holds it easily.

More B♭ chords