D diminished chord
- Dre
- Ffa
- Ablab
Ddim chord notes
D diminished stacks two minor thirds, three semitones and then three, so its top note is a diminished fifth above the root. It sounds tense and unstable, and Ddim usually passes quickly to a chord a semitone up.
| Note | Interval from the root | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| Dre | Root1 | 0 |
| Ffa | Minor thirdb3 | 3 |
| Ablab | Diminished fifthb5 | 6 |
Ddim chord inversions
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Ddim's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.
Root position
D, F, Ab
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
First inversion
F, Ab, D
- Right hand
- 1-2-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
Second inversion
Ab, D, F
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-2-1
Keys that use Ddim
In these major keys Ddim is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.
- E-flat majorVIIdim
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What notes are in the Ddim chord?
D diminished (Ddim) is D, F, Ab. In solfège that's re, fa, lab.
Which fingers play Ddim?
In root position, the right hand plays 1-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.
Where is Ddim used?
As a passing chord between two chords a whole step apart, and as the VII chord of the major key a semitone above its root. In both places Ddim lasts a beat or two and moves on.