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Diminished 7th Chord (dim7) on guitar

A diminished 7th chord stacks three minor thirds, a symmetric, tense chord that can resolve in four directions.

Written asCdim7
Formula1 b3 b5 6
Notes in CC Eb Gb A
Semitones from the root0, 3, 6, 9

About the Diminished 7th Chord

Bdim7 is B, D, F and Ab. Each note is three frets above the one before.

Because the chord is symmetric, Bdim7, Ddim7, Fdim7 and Abdim7 share the same notes. One shape moved up three frets gives the same chord.

It works as a passing chord, and as a dominant chord without its root in harmonic minor.

Intervals

  • 1: Root, 0 semitones above the root
  • b3: Minor 3rd, 3 semitones above the root
  • b5: Tritone, 6 semitones above the root
  • 6: Major 6th, 9 semitones above the root

Diminished 7th Chord charts in all 12 keys

Each chart shows the strings from the thick low E on the left to the thin high e on the right. Numbers in the dots are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little, T thumb. × marks a muted string and ○ an open one. A bar across strings is a barre.

Cdim7: C Eb Gb A

Cdim7×41213
x31212
Cdim78123141
89(10)8(10)8

Gdim7: G Bb Db E

Gdim7○○4123
312020
Gdim7123141
345353

Ddim7: D F Ab B

Ddim7××○○12
xx0101
Ddim710123141
(10)(11)(12)(10)(12)(10)

Adim7: A C Eb F#

Adim7×○1324
x01212
Adim75123141
567575

Edim7: E G Bb C#

Edim7○○○123
012020
Edim7××1213
xx2323

Bdim7: B D F G#

Bdim7×○○312
x20101
Bdim77123141
789797

F#dim7: F# A C D#

F#dim7○21314
201212
F#dim7123141
234242

C#dim7: C# E G A#

C#dim7×41213
x42323
C#dim79123141
9(10)(11)9(11)9

G#dim7: G# B D E#

G#dim7○○4312
420101
G#dim74123141
456464

Ebdim7: Eb Gb A C

Ebdim7××1324
xx1212
Ebdim710○21314
(11)0(10)(11)(10)(11)

Bbdim7: Bb Db Fb G

Bbdim7×○○123
x12020
Bbdim76123141
678686
Bbdim72○○4312
642020

Fdim7: F Ab Cb D

Fdim7○○1423
120101
Fdim7123141
123131

Scales to play over Cdim7

Each of these scales, started on C, holds every note of the chord:

More chord types