B♭ diminished (B♭dim) chord on banjo

The B♭ diminished chord (B♭dim) is a diminished triad (two minor thirds), made of three notes: B♭ – D♭ – F♭. The same chord with a different spelling: A♯ diminished (A♯dim).

Dots show:

Basic shapemedium

Position 9medium

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

Chord finder Transposer Tuner

What the B♭dim chord sounds like

A diminished triad is two stacked minor thirds with a diminished fifth. It sounds tense and unsettled; in a major key it sits on degree vii and leads into the tonic.

Notes of the B♭dim chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B♭	root
3	D♭	minor third (3 semitones)
5	F♭	diminished fifth (6 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (D): fret 2, ring finger (F♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 2, middle finger (D♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 3, little finger (B♭3)
String 4 (D): fret 2, index finger (F♭3)

Position 9

String 1 (D): fret 11, little finger (D♭5)
String 2 (B): fret 11, little finger (B♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 9, index finger (F♭4)
String 4 (D): fret 11, ring finger (D♭4)

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Similar chords and substitutes

If B♭dim is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

F♯7 – an incomplete dominant: the diminished chord is the top of this seventh chord
B – where it leads (leading tone → root)

Richer versions

B♭dim7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B♭m7b5 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭dim chord?

B♭, D♭, F♭. The root is B♭; the intervals of the other notes from the root: minor third, diminished fifth.

What is the easiest way to play B♭dim on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”. We show 2 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.