Learn the structure of the Bb diminished chord in root position, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion on the piano.
What is the Bb diminished Chord on the Piano?
The symbol of the Bb diminished chord is Bbdim.
The notes of the Bbdim chord are Bb – Db – E.
The Bbdim chord is a triad because it has three notes: root (Bb), minor third (Db), and diminished fifth (E).
How Can You Play the Bb diminished Chord on the Piano?
Here you can see how to play the notes of the Bb diminished chord on the piano in root position:
You can see that the first note from the left is Bb (the root), the second note is Db (the minor third), and the third note is E (the diminished fifth).
What is the Lowest Note in the Bb diminished Chord?
Making the assumption that you are playing the Bbdim chord in root position the lowest note is Bb.
How Do You Remember the Bbdim Chord?
Here is how to remember the notes of the Bb diminished chord:
- Start from the first note of the chord (the root) that for the Bb diminished chord is Bb.
- To find the second note of the chord calculate a minor third from the root (Db).
- Then to find the third note of the chord calculate the diminished fifth from the root (E).
This applies if you are playing the Bb diminished chord in root position.
What is the 1st Inversion of the Bb diminished Chord?
The 1st inversion of the Bbdim chord starts with the note Db.
The picture below shows how to play the notes of the Bb diminished chord on the piano in the first inversion:
In the 1st inversion, you shift the root of the Bbdim chord (Bb) one octave up compared to the root position.
The notes of the Bbdim chord in the 1st inversion are Db – E – Bb.
How Do You Play the 2nd Inversion of the Bb diminished Chord?
The 2nd inversion of the Bbdim chord starts with the note E.
Below you can see how to play the notes of the second inversion of the Bb diminished chord on the piano:
In the 2nd inversion, you also shift the third of the Bbdim chord (Db) up one octave.
The notes of the 2nd inversion of the Bbdim chord are E – Bb – Db.
Also, considering that the Bbdim chord is a triad (it consists of three notes) there is no 3rd inversion because it would be the same as the root position.
Learn Other Bb Chords
The following articles show you how to play other Bb chords: