B♭ diminished chord on guitar (B♭dim)

B♭dim is B♭, D♭ and F♭. The usual shape is x-1-2-3-2-x. Press Play to hear it, then try it at half speed.

x-1-2-3-2-x · movable · medium

Notes: B♭ · D♭ · F♭
Formula: 1 · ♭3 · ♭5
First shape: x-1-2-3-2-x

How to play B♭dim on guitar

Shape 1, x-1-2-3-2-x, reading from the low E string on the left:

Index finger: A string, 1st fret (B♭).
Middle finger: D string, 2nd fret (F♭).
Ring finger: B string, 2nd fret (D♭).
Pinky: G string, 3rd fret (B♭).
Keep the low E and high E strings quiet by touching them lightly with a fretting finger.

This shape uses your pinky. It feels weak at first; press with the tip and let the finger stay curved.
Aim the strum at the thinner strings only; the lower ones are marked × for a reason.

Other ways to play B♭dim

x-13-14-15-14-x: movable shape at the 13th fret, medium. Root on the 5th string, so it pairs well with the 6th-string shape a few frets away.
x-x-8-6-5-6: movable shape at the 5th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.
x-x-8-9-11-9: movable shape at the 8th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.

Changing from B♭dim to the chords around it

Songs rarely hold B♭dim for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

B (leads up a half step): B♭dim (x-1-2-3-2-x) to B (x-2-4-4-4-2): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 2nd fret, move the middle finger to the D string, 4th fret, the ring finger goes to the G string, 4th fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. B on guitar
Bm (leads up a half step): B♭dim (x-1-2-3-2-x) to Bm (x-2-4-4-3-2): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 2nd fret, move the middle finger to the B string, 3rd fret, the ring finger goes to the D string, 4th fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Bm on guitar
E♭m (iii in B major): B♭dim (x-1-2-3-2-x) to E♭m (x-x-1-3-4-2): the index finger slides across to the D string at the same fret, the middle finger goes to the high E string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the G string, 3rd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share B♭, which is why the change sounds smooth. E♭m on guitar

B♭dim is a diminished triad: two minor thirds stacked. B♭dim rarely stays long; it's a passing chord that usually climbs a half step to the next chord. Play it once strummed and once picked to hear the difference.

A short B♭dim drill

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: B♭, F♭, B♭, D♭. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Then switch to x-13-14-15-14-x and back four times without looking at your hand.

Written A♯dim, it's the same chord with the same frets.

Where B♭dim shows up

B♭dim on piano and ukulele

B♭dim on piano and ukulele uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Next to try on guitar

Other diminished chords

B♭dim on guitar: questions

What notes are in B♭dim on guitar?

B♭, D♭ and F♭. In the x-1-2-3-2-x shape the strings play B♭ (A string), F♭ (D string), B♭ (G string) and D♭ (B string), so B♭ is doubled.

What's the easiest way to play B♭dim on guitar?

B♭dim has no open-string shape in standard tuning, so every version needs a barre or a stretch. Start with x-1-2-3-2-x. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and a capo is worth trying when the song allows.

Is B♭dim a barre chord on guitar?

Not the usual shape: x-1-2-3-2-x needs no barre.

Which string does B♭dim start on?

In the x-1-2-3-2-x shape the lowest string you play is the A string at the 1st fret, which is B♭, the root. Skip the low E and high E strings.

Every shape above plays only B♭, D♭ and F♭, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.