Bbdim Piano Chord

B flat diminished is the Bbdim piano chord. It has three notes: B flat, D flat and E. It is a B flat minor chord with the fifth lowered by one key.

Bbdim piano chord diagram, root position, B♭ D♭ E

B♭ at the bottom, then D♭ and E. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. The black keys are B♭ and D♭.

How to play Bbdim on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the B♭ below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): B♭
  3. Middle finger (3): D♭
  4. Little finger (5): E
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just B♭ on its own as a bass note.

The top note is written E here rather than F flat, because E is the key you play and the name every chart uses.

Inversions of Bbdim

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Bbdim; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionD♭ E B♭
Bbdim piano chord diagram, first inversion, D♭ E B♭
Lighter than root position and less final. A flat third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionE B♭ D♭
Bbdim piano chord diagram, second inversion, E B♭ D♭
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.

If it sounds wrong

The top note is F
That gives B flat minor. B flat diminished needs the key below it, which is E.
The thumb slips off
It sits on a black key, so the hand has to be further into the keyboard than usual.
The chord sounds harsh
It is meant to be unsettled. Resolve it upward to B major, or back into B flat minor.

What makes it a Bbdim

B♭ · D♭ · E 1 ♭3 ♭5

B flat diminished is B flat, D flat and E: the root, the flat third and the flat fifth. Strictly the top note is F flat, which is the key called E.

It is the leading tone chord of B, and a passing chord in flat keys. Both intervals are minor thirds, which makes the hand shape symmetrical.

Bbdim vs Bbm

The top note. B flat minor has F; B flat diminished lowers it to E.

The lower two notes stay on their black keys in both chords, so only one finger moves.

Bbdim in major keys

Every note of Bbdim sits inside these keys. See how it works alongside the other chords in each one.

Questions about Bbdim

Which notes are in a Bbdim chord on piano?

B flat, D flat and E. It is a minor chord with the fifth lowered by one key.

What is the difference between Bbdim and B flat minor?

The top note. B flat minor has a normal fifth; Bbdim lowers it by one key to E. That single change turns a sad chord into a tense one.

How does a diminished chord resolve?

Usually up by one key. Bbdim leans toward B major, and playing the two in a row is the quickest way to hear why: every note of the diminished chord is a half step or a whole step from where it wants to go.

Is Bbdim hard to play?

No. It is three notes with an even shape, since a diminished triad is two minor thirds stacked. The intervals are the same size, which makes the hand position symmetrical and easy to remember.

Chords to learn next

Other Bb chords