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B diminished 7 chord

B diminished 7 Diminished & augmented family

Dramatic, suspenseful, silent-film villain.

Easiest shape1 of 3

Square: the root. In colour: the diminished 7th, which gives the chord its sound.

Change a finger and see what it becomes

Built from

Broot
Dminor 3rd
Fflat 5th
A♭diminished 7th

Every note is three frets from the next, so the chord has no centre and can slide anywhere.

Tension: Can't stay

Hear it in a progression

Passing chord
Slides between two chords, old-time and jazzy. In B♭ major.
Capo and transpose
Leading home
Maximum suspense, then release. In C minor.
Capo and transpose

Where it goes next

Thinking in C major, where it is the vii° chord.

C
I. Its top note leads up one fret, straight home.
Em
iii. Settles onto iii.

Sounds close

Ddim7
The same four notes, named from another root. Both have B, D, F and A♭.
C♯7
Shares 3 of its notes. Both have B, F and A♭.
E7
Shares 3 of its notes. Both have B, D and A♭.
G7
Shares 3 of its notes. Both have B, D and F.

Keys it lives in