How To Play An Bbdim Chord On The Guitar
In this guitar lesson you will learn how to play the Bbdim chord.
Here are five different ways you can play the Bbdim chord on the guitar.
There are many variations for all guitar chords. Be sure to check out a guitar chord chart like this one for every available option.
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A diminished chord is a minor chord with a flat 5th scale degree.
Diminished chords consist of a root note, a minor third, and a diminished (flat) fifth. For a B♭dim chord, these notes are:
B♭ (Root note)
D♭ (Minor third)
F♭ (Diminished fifth) - Note that F♭ is enharmonically (sounds the same) as E natural.
In this case, because F natural is the normal 5th scale degree for a B♭ scale, and to build a diminished chord we need to ‘flat the 5,’ this note will be an F♭ and the note name will not change to an E natural.
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Let’s outline how to find these notes on the guitar fretboard. One common shape for a B♭dim chord on the guitar starts on the 6th fret. Here are the fret and string combinations:
Root (B♭): 6th fret on the Low E string (6th string).
Diminished Fifth (F♭/E): 7th fret on the A string (5th string).
Minor Third (D♭): 6th fret on the D string (4th string).
Root (B♭): Optional, 8th fret on the G string (3rd string) for a fuller sound.
Finger Positions
Index Finger: Place your index finger on the 6th fret of the Low E string to play the root note B♭.
Ring Finger or Pinky: Use your ring finger or pinky to press the 7th fret on the A string to play the diminished fifth (F♭/E).
Middle Finger: Your middle finger goes on the 6th fret of the D string to play the minor third (D♭).
Ring Finger or Pinky (Optional): For a fuller sound, you can add the root note B♭ again by placing your ring finger or pinky on the 8th fret of the G string.
Diminished chords have a unique, dissonant sound that works well in certain musical contexts, such as jazz, classical, and some rock or metal genres.
Experiment with them to see how they can enhance your music.
Remember, the key to mastering any chord on the guitar is practice.
Start slowly, focusing on getting clear notes without any buzzing, and then speed up your chord changes as you become more comfortable.
