D# diminished chord
- D#re#
- F#fa#
- Ala
D#dim 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 D#dim usually passes quickly to a chord a semitone up.
| Note | Interval from the root | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| D#re# | Root1 | 0 |
| F#fa# | Minor thirdb3 | 3 |
| Ala | Diminished fifthb5 | 6 |
D#dim chord inversions
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using D#dim's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.
Root position
D#, F#, A
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
First inversion
F#, A, D#
- Right hand
- 1-2-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
Second inversion
A, D#, F#
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-2-1
Keys that use D#dim
In these major keys D#dim 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 majorVIIdim
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What notes are in the D#dim chord?
D# diminished (D#dim) is D#, F#, A. In solfège that's re#, fa#, la.
Which fingers play D#dim?
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 D#dim 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 D#dim lasts a beat or two and moves on.