B Diminished Chord on the Guitar (B dim) – Diagrams, Finger Positions, Theory

The B diminished chord (B dim or B°) contains the notes B, D and F. It is produced by taking the 1st, flat 3rd and flat 5th notes of the B Major scale.

A diminished often appears as B dim or B°.

The diminished chord played by itself has a dissonant sound. This is largely due to the existence of the tritone interval, which is otherwise known as the devil’s interval. The B diminished chord contains a tritone between the notes B and F.

Even though the B diminished chord sounds dissonant on its own, it can sound beautiful when played in the right context. Pairing the B diminished chord with the C Major chord, for example, creates a sense of tension and release, which works well. A good exercise is to switch between the B diminished chord and the C Major chord and hear for yourself how this sounds

10 Ways To Play The B Diminished Chord

If you’ve come to this page just to view some chord diagrams for B diminished, here they are.

B Diminished Chord 10 Shapes

Some Quick B Diminished Chord Theory

  • The B diminished chord contains the notes B, D and F.
  • The B diminished chord is produced by taking the 1 (root), b3 and b5 of the B Major scale.
  • The B diminished chord (just like all diminished chords) contains the following intervals (starting from the root note): minor 3rd, minor 3rd, tritone (which leads back to the root note).
  • A diminished resolves naturally to the C chord.
  • A diminished can be written as B dim or B°.
  • The B locrian scale can be used when soloing over the B diminished chord.

Further Reading

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