Explore chords · Ukulele
B diminished chord on ukulele (Bdim)
Also called or written Bdim or B°
B diminished contains B, D, and F. The 4th-fret shape mutes the E string and requires a stretch to the 5th fret.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5
- Root positionB–D–FBdim10-11-10-×
- First inversionD–F–BBdim/D7-5-7-5
- Second inversionF–B–DBdim/F4-5-×-5
How do you play a B diminished chord on ukulele?
B diminished is played at the 4th fret as 4 5 × 5: index finger on the G string at fret 4, middle finger on the C string at fret 5 and ring finger on the A string at fret 5. The E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 4 | 1 | B (1) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 2 | F (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (A) | 5 | 3 | D (♭3) |
IntermediateThe ring finger must reach the A string at fret 5 while the middle finger holds the C string at fret 5, and the E string must be muted.
Bdim/F inversion · 7-5-7-5
B diminished is played at the 5th fret as 7 5 7 5: ring finger on the G string at fret 7, index finger on the C string at fret 5, pinky finger on the E string at fret 7 and middle finger on the A string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 7 | 3 | D (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 1 | F (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 7 | 4 | B (1) |
| 1 (A) | 5 | 2 | D (♭3) |
Bdim/F inversion · ×-5-7-5
B diminished is played at the 5th fret as × 5 7 5: index finger on the C string at fret 5, ring finger on the E string at fret 7 and middle finger on the A string at fret 5. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 1 | F (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 7 | 3 | B (1) |
| 1 (A) | 5 | 2 | D (♭3) |
10th fret
B diminished is played at the 10th fret as 10 11 10 ×: index finger on the G string at fret 10, ring finger on the C string at fret 11 and middle finger on the E string at fret 10. The A string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 1 | F (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 11 | 3 | B (1) |
| 2 (E) | 10 | 2 | D (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
B diminished is built from the 1, ♭3, ♭5 formula. The ♭5 interval gives the chord its dissonant quality. Compare it to B minor, which raises the fifth to F♯.
What goes wrong with B diminished?
- Letting the open E string ring through, which adds a note outside the chord.
- Flattening the ring finger onto the E string, muting it unintentionally.
When to use it
B diminished works as a passing chord in A natural minor or C major. It suits tense, suspenseful moments in rock and jazz.
Changing to and from B diminished
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 2nd fret gives A diminished.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 5th fret gives C diminished.
Which voicing to use
The 4th-fret shape keeps B in the bass for a root-position sound. The Bdim/D inversion puts D in the bass, which softens the dissonance slightly.
Other B chords
Common questions
How is B diminished written?
B diminished is written B° or Bdim. The root is B.
What is the difference between B diminished and B minor?
B diminished lowers the fifth from F♯ to F, creating a tritone. B minor keeps the perfect fifth F♯.
Why is the E string muted in the 4th-fret shape?
The open E string is not a chord tone of B diminished. Muting it keeps the voicing clean.