B Diminished 7th
Bdim7
Notes
B · D · F · Ab
Intervals
- RootB (1P)
- Minor 3rdD (3m)
- Diminished 5thF (5d)
- Diminished 7thAb (7d)
Fretboard
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About
The B fully diminished 7 (B–D–F–A♭) stacks four minor thirds, giving it a fully symmetrical structure. Each note can be respelled as a root — B°7 is enharmonically the same chord as D°7, F°7, and A♭°7 — meaning a single shape on the guitar can function as four different leading-tone chords depending on context. This flexibility makes dim7 especially useful as a passing or substitution chord, often resolving up a half step (here to C). All four tones carry the chord’s identity; the chord is defined by its symmetry, so removing any note weakens that quality. On guitar, one shape repeats identically every three frets. Compared to Bm7♭5, dim7 is more unstable and dramatically tense.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- B Diminished (deg 1)
- A Diminished (deg 2)
- A Harmonic Minor (II)
- C Diminished (deg 8)
- C Harmonic Minor (VII)
- D Diminished (deg 7)
- E♭ Diminished (deg 6)
- E♭ Harmonic Minor (VI)
- F Diminished (deg 5)
- F♯ Diminished (deg 4)
- F♯ Harmonic Minor (IV)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. Roman numeral marks the chord root’s position in the scale; dashed badges aren’t linked yet.