D diminished chord (Ddim)
The D diminished chord (Ddim) is a diminished triad: D, F and A♭, two minor thirds stacked on top of each other (root, minor third and diminished fifth).
It is the vii° in E♭ major and the vii° in E♭ minor; it sits inside B♭ dominant seventh and tends to resolve to E♭ major, a half step up.
Below: voicings, notes on the fretboard, ukulele, piano, inversions and progressions.
How to play D diminished on guitar
There are 3 guitar voicings.
Frets from the 6th string to the 1st: x = not played, 0 = open string.
- Voicing 1: x-x-0-1-3-1, open position, with D in the bass (fingers x-x-0-1-3-2).
- Voicing 2: 10-11-12-10-x-x, barre at fret 10, with D in the bass (fingers 1-2-4-1-x-x).
- Voicing 3: x-5-6-7-6-x, with D in the bass (fingers x-1-2-4-3-x).
Notes of the D diminished chord on the fretboard
D diminished has 3 notes: D, F and A♭. This is where they fall on each string, from the nut to the 12th fret (fret number in parentheses):
- String 6 (E): F (1) · A♭ (4) · D (10)
- String 5 (A): D (5) · F (8) · A♭ (11)
- String 4 (D): D (0) · F (3) · A♭ (6) · D (12)
- String 3 (G): A♭ (1) · D (7) · F (10)
- String 2 (B): D (3) · F (6) · A♭ (9)
- String 1 (E): F (1) · A♭ (4) · D (10)
Formula and intervals of D diminished
Its formula is 1-♭3-♭5; in semitones from the root, 0-3-6.
- D: Root, the note that gives the chord its name
- F: Minor third (m3), 3 semitones above D
- A♭: Diminished fifth (d5), 6 semitones above D
D diminished on ukulele
- Ukulele (G C E A): 7-5-4-5; it sounds D, F, A♭ and D.
D diminished on piano
- Keys: D4, F4 and A♭4.
Inversions of D diminished
Each inversion puts a different note in the bass.
- Root position: D, F and A♭, with D in the bass.
- First inversion (Ddim/F): F, A♭ and D, with F in the bass.
- Second inversion (Ddim/A♭): A♭, D and F, with A♭ in the bass.
Keys that use D diminished
D diminished appears in 3 major and minor keys.
| Key | Degree | Function |
|---|---|---|
| E♭ major (3 flats) | vii° | Leading tone |
| C minor (3 flats) | ii° | Supertonic |
| E♭ minor (harmonic minor, 6 flats) | vii° | Leading tone |
Progressions with D diminished
- Passing diminished chord in D♭ major (I–♯i°–ii–V): D♭ – Ddim – E♭m – A♭
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the D diminished chord?
D, F and A♭: root, minor third and diminished fifth. Its formula is 1-♭3-♭5.
Which keys use D diminished?
Mainly as the vii° in E♭ major and the vii° in E♭ minor. In total it appears in 3 major and minor keys.
Is D diminished the same as a diminished seventh chord?
No: D diminished is a triad with three notes (D, F and A♭). A diminished seventh chord adds a fourth note, another minor third on top.
Why does D diminished sound like B♭ dominant seventh?
Because its three notes, D, F and A♭, are the third, fifth and seventh of B♭ dominant seventh: it is that dominant seventh without its root. So it does the same job and resolves to E♭ major.