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D diminished 7th chord on bass (Ddim7)
Also called or written Ddim7 or D°7
D diminished 7th contains D, F, A♭, and C♭. The 9th fret position uses all four fingers in a compact cluster.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7
- Root positionD–F–A♭–C♭Ddim710-11-9-10
- First inversionF–A♭–C♭–DDdim7/F1-2-0-1
- Second inversionA♭–C♭–D–FDdim7/A♭4-5-3-4
- Third inversionC♭–D–F–A♭Ddim7/C♭7-8-6-7
How do you play a D diminished 7th chord on bass?
D diminished 7th is played at the 9th fret as 10 11 9 10: middle finger on the E string at fret 10, pinky finger on the A string at fret 11, index finger on the D string at fret 9 and ring finger on the G string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 10 | 2 | D (1) |
| 3 (A) | 11 | 4 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 9 | 1 | C♭ (6) |
| 1 (G) | 10 | 3 | F (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach the 11th fret on the A string while the index holds the 9th fret on the D string, requiring a wide stretch.
Ddim7/F inversion · open position
D diminished 7th is played in open position as 1 2 0 1: index finger on the E string at fret 1, ring finger on the A string at fret 2 and middle finger on the G string at fret 1. The D string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (♭3) |
| 3 (A) | 2 | 3 | C♭ (6) |
| 2 (D) | open | — | D (1) |
| 1 (G) | 1 | 2 | A♭ (♭5) |
Ddim7/F inversion · fret 12
D diminished 7th is played at the 12th fret as 13 14 12 13: middle finger on the E string at fret 13, pinky finger on the A string at fret 14, index finger on the D string at fret 12 and ring finger on the G string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 13 | 2 | F (♭3) |
| 3 (A) | 14 | 4 | C♭ (6) |
| 2 (D) | 12 | 1 | D (1) |
| 1 (G) | 13 | 3 | A♭ (♭5) |
Ddim7/A♭ inversion
D diminished 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 4 5 3 4: middle finger on the E string at fret 4, pinky finger on the A string at fret 5, index finger on the D string at fret 3 and ring finger on the G string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 4 | 2 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (A) | 5 | 4 | D (1) |
| 2 (D) | 3 | 1 | F (♭3) |
| 1 (G) | 4 | 3 | C♭ (6) |
Ddim7/C♭ inversion
D diminished 7th is played at the 6th fret as 7 8 6 7: middle finger on the E string at fret 7, pinky finger on the A string at fret 8, index finger on the D string at fret 6 and ring finger on the G string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 7 | 2 | C♭ (6) |
| 3 (A) | 8 | 4 | F (♭3) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 1 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (G) | 7 | 3 | D (1) |
Why it sounds like that
D diminished 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7. The diminished 5th between D and A♭ creates its unstable quality. Contrast it with D minor 7th flat 5th, which has a ♭7 instead of ♭♭7.
What goes wrong with D diminished 7th?
- Letting the pinky mute the 3rd string by collapsing.
- Allowing the ring finger to touch the 1st string and dull its sound.
When to use it
D diminished 7th works as a passing chord in E♭ major or E♭ minor, often resolving to E♭. Use it in jazz, blues, and classical bass lines. It pairs with D minor 7th flat 5th in half-diminished contexts.
Changing to and from D diminished 7th
- Slide the shape down two frets to the 7th fret to reach C diminished 7th.
- Slide the shape up one fret to the 10th fret to reach E♭ diminished 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 9th fret position keeps D as the lowest note on the E string, giving a solid foundation. The Ddim7/F inversion at the 1st fret offers an easier fingering with F in the bass, useful for quick changes.
Other D chords
Common questions
How is D diminished 7th written?
D diminished 7th is written as D°7 or Ddim7.
Why does D diminished 7th use C♭ instead of B?
C♭ is the correct spelling for the diminished 7th above D. Using B would create a major 6th, which changes the chord's function.
Can D diminished 7th be played with open strings?
Yes, the Ddim7/F inversion at the 1st fret uses the open D string. That position is easier for beginners.