Diminished chords have a tense, unstable sound that becomes much easier to understand when you hear where they resolve.

In this lesson, you’ll learn the difference between diminished triads and diminished 7th chords, common shapes on guitar, and how diminished chords can create movement inside a progression.

What is a diminished chord?

A diminished triad contains the chord tones 1, b3, and b5. For example, C diminished contains C, Eb, and Gb.

A diminished 7th chord contains the notes 1, b3, b5, and 6. The 6 is enharmonically the same pitch as a double-flat 7th (bb7), which is the theoretical spelling of the diminished 7th.

For example, C diminished 7 contains C, Eb, Gb, and A.

Diminished triad chord formula

To understand diminished chords, here are some charts to help you visualize the distance between each note in terms of whole and half steps.

The structure for a diminished triad goes as follows:

You can also learn more about triads here.

Diminished 7th chord formula

And here is the structure for a diminished 7 chord below.

If needed, review the essential 7th chords here.

Diminished chords chart

The charts below show diminished triads and diminished 7th chords from every root. Use them as a reference when you need to check the notes of a specific chord.

Here is a chart of all the diminished 7th chords starting on every root note.

Check your chord formulas

If you want to check your understanding of the formulas, try building a few of these chords before referring back to the charts.

1. G diminished triad
2. C# diminished triad
3. F# diminished triad
4. Bb diminished 7
5. D diminished 7
6. Eb diminished 7
   

Diminished chords notation

Some of the common ways to write diminished chords on sheet music are:

For diminished triads: C dim, C˚

For diminished 7 chords: C dim 7 or C˚7

You might also see and hear a diminished 7 chord as ‘C fully diminished’. This is to contrast another chord called the half diminished chord (aka minor 7 b5) which has the chord tones 1, b3, b5, and b7.
See how to play half diminished chords here.

Diminished chord shapes on guitar

The diagrams below give you several ways to play diminished triads and diminished 7th chords across different string sets.

Start with one diminished 7 shape that feels comfortable under your fingers. Once you can move that shape cleanly, explore the other string sets as additional voicing options.

Diminished triad chords starting on the 6th string

Diminished chords starting on the 5th string

Diminished chords starting on the 4th string

Diminished 7 chords starting on the 6th string

Choose one diminished 7 shape and move it to three different starting frets. Say the root you’re using, play the chord, and listen to its tense sound before moving to the next position.

Diminished 7 chords starting on the 5th string

Diminished 7 chords starting on the 4th string

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Easily look up guitar chords with the Essential Guitar Chords Chart!

This chart covers how to play:

• Major chords
• Minor chords
• Major 7 chords
• Minor 7 chords
• Dominant chords
• Half diminished chords
• Diminished chords
• Chords starting on all (12) root notes
• Over 80+ chords!

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When to use diminished chords

One useful application for a diminished 7 chord is creating tension immediately before a target chord.

For example, Bdim7 contains B, D, F, and Ab. Three of those notes also appear in G7, while Ab adds the sound of a b9 against G. This gives Bdim7 a strong pull toward C.

You can hear Bdim7 as closely related to a rootless G7(b9) sound, which helps explain why both can create strong movement toward C.

Play G 7 → C several times. Then play Bdim7 → C. Compare the two resolutions and listen for the tension each chord creates before C.

Diminished chord progression examples

The examples below show diminished 7 chords resolving into different target chords. Before playing each one, identify the target chord and listen for how the diminished chord pulls into it.

Chord progression example 1

In this example, G# dim7 creates a rootless E 7(b9) sound that resolves to the A minor 7 chord.

Chord progression example 2

Here, F# dim7 creates a rootless D 7(b9) sound that resolves to the G minor 7 chord.

Chord progression example 3

Here, E dim7 creates a rootless C 7(b9) sound that resolves to the F minor 7 chord.

Chord progression example 4

This is a common jazz progression that moves 2 minor → 5(7) → 3 minor → 6(7). In this example, both dominant chords are replaced with diminished 7 chords.

Diminished 7th chord inversions

A diminished 7 chord is built from equal minor 3rd intervals. Because of that symmetrical structure, moving the entire shape up three frets gives you the same four pitches rearranged into another inversion.

Play one diminished 7 shape, move the entire shape up three frets, and play it again. Continue twice more. Listen for how the voicing changes while the same pitch collection repeats.

For example a C diminished 7 chord includes the same notes as an Eb, Gb and A diminished 7 chord.

See and hear the following example, which uses the same chord shape to play four diminished chord inversions containing the same notes.

Because the same diminished 7 shape repeats every three frets, one shape can represent several related diminished chords.

Related diminished 7th chords

Because diminished 7th chords are symmetrical, the 12 possible roots fall into three groups of four chords that share the same pitch collection.

For example, Cdim7, Ebdim7, Gbdim7, and Adim7 contain the same pitch collection arranged from different roots.

C diminished 7th related chords

These are the four diminished 7th chords that share the same pitch collection as C diminished 7.

1. C dim7
2. Eb dim7
3. Gb dim7
4. A dim7
   

C# diminished 7th related chords

These are the four diminished 7th chords that share the same pitch collection as C# diminished 7.

1. C# dim7
2. E dim7
3. G dim7
4. A# dim7
   

D diminished 7th related chords

1. D dim7
2. F dim7
3. Ab dim7
4. B dim7
   

Choose a chord you want to approach, such as A minor. Play G#dim7 immediately before it. Then move G#dim7 up three frets and try the new inversion before A minor. Compare which voicing connects more smoothly from the chord that comes before it.

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Wrapping up

Diminished chords become much more useful when you hear them as movement rather than isolated shapes.

Start with one diminished 7 shape, hear how it resolves into a nearby target chord, and notice how moving the shape up three frets gives you another inversion of the same pitch collection.

From there, the additional triad shapes, diminished 7 voicings, and progression examples in this lesson give you more ways to use that sound across the fretboard.

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