Bdim7 chord on piano
Bdim7 is B, D, F and A♭. B is the white key just right of the group of three black keys. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.
root position · B–D–F–A♭ · right hand 1-2-3-5
- Notes
- B · D · F · A♭
- Formula
- 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭♭7
How to play Bdim7 on piano
From B, go 3 half steps up to D, 3 half steps up to F then 3 half steps up to A♭. That's the whole chord: 4 keys.
- Right hand: 1 on B, 2 on D, 3 on F and 5 on A♭.
- Left hand: 5 on B, 3 on D, 2 on F and 1 on A♭.
- On the keyboard it's white, white, white and black keys.
Bdim7 inversions
- root position: B–D–F–A♭. RH 1-2-3-5.
- 1st inversion: D–F–A♭–B, with D at the bottom. Fingers 1-2-3-5.
- 2nd inversion: F–A♭–B–D (F in the bass). Fingers 1-2-3-5.
- 3rd inversion: A♭–B–D–F, A♭ lowest. Right hand 1-2-3-5.
Inversions keep the same notes and change which one is lowest. Moving between chords, pick the inversion that keeps your hand closest to where it already is.
Moving between Bdim7 and its neighbours
The chords Bdim7 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- C (leads up a half step): Bdim7 to C: play C in root position (C–E–G), while B moves up to C, F down to E and A♭ down to G. C on piano
- Cm (leads up a half step): Bdim7 to Cm: play Cm in root position (C–E♭–G), while B moves up to C, D up to E♭ and A♭ down to G. Cm on piano
- E (a fifth down): Bdim7 to E: play E in 2nd inversion (B–E–G♯) and B and G♯ stay under the same fingers, while F moves down to E. E on piano
Bdim7 is a diminished seventh: three minor thirds stacked, so the chord divides the octave into four equal parts. Bdim7 can stand in for a dominant seventh a half step below, which is why it links chords so smoothly. On piano you hear it best with the keys pressed together, then rolled.
A short Bdim7 drill
Start with a broken chord, B D F A♭ F D B, then play it solid. Then climb the inversions: B–D–F–A♭, then D–F–A♭–B, then F–A♭–B–D, then A♭–B–D–F.
The keys of Bdim7
Bdim7 is a diminished seventh chord, 1–♭3–♭5–♭♭7 from B. Root position, from the bottom: how Bdim7 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| D | white key | RH 2 · LH 3 | minor third |
| F | white key | RH 3 · LH 2 | diminished fifth |
| A♭ | black key | RH 5 · LH 1 | diminished seventh |
Where Bdim7 shows up
Bdim7 on guitar and ukulele
Bdim7 on guitar and ukulele uses the same 4 notes in a different layout. See all three together.
Close to Bdim7
Other diminished seventh chords
Bdim7 on piano: questions
What notes are in Bdim7 on piano?
B, D, F and A♭: B (white key), D (white key), F (white key) and A♭ (black key). Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
How do you play Bdim7 on piano?
Press B, D, F and A♭ together (1 black, 3 white). Right hand: 1 on B, 2 on D, 3 on F and 5 on A♭.
What are the inversions of Bdim7?
1st inversion (D–F–A♭–B), 2nd inversion (F–A♭–B–D) and 3rd inversion (A♭–B–D–F), after root position (B–D–F–A♭). Only the lowest note changes.
What does Bdim7 look like on the keyboard?
white, white, white and black keys.
Every shape above plays only B, D, F and A♭, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.