Fig. 1 · Bb to Fb

interval

B♭ diminished fifth

B♭lowerF♭upperd56 half steps

A perfect fifth narrowed by a half step. The interval inside every diminished triad.

On the keyboard

F♭Bb
Fig. 2

What is true of it

B♭ up a diminished fifth is F♭: 6 half steps, and 5 letters counting both ends.

Turn it upside down — put the B♭ on top — and it becomes a augmented fourth. The two numbers always add to nine, and the two sizes to twelve.

It is a dissonance.

Six half steps can be written two ways: B♭ to E is a fourth, B♭ to F♭ is a fifth. They sound the same and behave differently.

Every interval on B♭

B♭ → C♭minor second · dissonanceB♭ → Cmajor second · dissonanceB♭ → D♭minor third · imperfect consonanceB♭ → Dmajor third · imperfect consonanceB♭ → E♭perfect fourth · perfect consonanceB♭ → Eaugmented fourth · dissonanceB♭ → Fperfect fifth · perfect consonanceB♭ → G♭minor sixth · imperfect consonanceB♭ → Gmajor sixth · imperfect consonanceB♭ → A♭minor seventh · dissonanceB♭ → Amajor seventh · dissonance

C d5C♯ d5D♭ d5D d5D♯ d5E♭ d5E d5F d5all 204