Piano chord
B diminished 7 chord
Bdim7 is a diminished seventh chord: the root B, a minor 3rd up to D, a diminished 5th up to F and a diminished 7th up to A♭.
- Symbol
- Bdim7
- Notes
- B – D – F – A♭
Play it yourself
Tap B, D, F and A♭ on the keys below, in any order.
- B
- D
- F
- A♭
Diminished seventh chords stack three minor thirds. Every note is the same distance apart, which makes them very tense and a favourite for dramatic moments.
Inversions of Bdim7
An inversion keeps the same notes but puts a different one at the bottom. Pianists use them to move between chords with less jumping.
- Root position
B – D – F – A♭
- 1st inversion · Bdim7/D
D – F – A♭ – B
- 2nd inversion · Bdim7/F
F – A♭ – B – D
- 3rd inversion · Bdim7/A♭
A♭ – B – D – F
Keys with Bdim7
Bdim7 doesn't occur naturally in a major or natural minor key. It's used as a colour chord, borrowed or altered.