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E diminished chord

  1. Emi
  2. Gsol
  3. Bbtib
Root positionRight hand 1-3-5

Edim chord notes

E 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 Edim usually passes quickly to a chord a semitone up.

NoteInterval from the rootSemitones
EmiRoot10
GsolMinor thirdb33
BbtibDiminished fifthb56
All piano chords

Edim chord inversions

An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Edim's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.

  1. Root position

    E, G, Bb

    Right hand
    1-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-1

  2. First inversion

    G, Bb, E

    Right hand
    1-2-5
    Left hand
    5-3-1

  3. Second inversion

    Bb, E, G

    Right hand
    1-3-5
    Left hand
    5-2-1

Keys that use Edim

In these major keys Edim is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.

  • F majorVIIdim

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Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Edim chord?

E diminished (Edim) is E, G, Bb. In solfège that's mi, sol, tib.

Which fingers play Edim?

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 Edim 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 Edim lasts a beat or two and moves on.