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C diminished chord on guitar (Cdim)
Also called or written Cdim or C°
C diminished is built from C, E♭, and G♭. The 3rd fret shape sits in the middle of the neck and requires muting both E strings.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5
- Root positionC–E♭–G♭Cdim×-3-4-5-4-×
- First inversionE♭–G♭–CCdim/E♭×-6-4-5-4-×
- Second inversionG♭–C–E♭Cdim/G♭2-3-1-×-×-×
How do you play a C diminished chord on guitar?
C diminished is played at the 3rd fret as × 3 4 5 4 ×: index finger on the A string at fret 3, middle finger on the D string at fret 4, pinky finger on the G string at fret 5 and ring finger on the B string at fret 4. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 1 | C (1) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 2 | G♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (G) | 5 | 4 | C (1) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 3 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
IntermediateThe 3rd fret shape demands a four-fret stretch and precise muting of both E strings, making it intermediate.
8th fret
C diminished is played at the 8th fret as 8 9 10 8 × ×: index finger on the low E string at fret 8, ring finger on the A string at fret 9, pinky finger on the D string at fret 10 and middle finger on the G string at fret 8. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8 | 1 | C (1) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 3 | G♭ (♭5) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 4 | C (1) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 2 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Cdim/E♭ inversion · fret 4
C diminished is played at the 4th fret as × 6 4 5 4 ×: pinky finger on the A string at fret 6, index finger on the D string at fret 4, ring finger on the G string at fret 5 and middle finger on the B string at fret 4. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 | G♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (G) | 5 | 3 | C (1) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 2 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Cdim/E♭ inversion · fret 9
C diminished is played at the 9th fret as 11 9 10 11 × ×: ring finger on the low E string at fret 11, index finger on the A string at fret 9, middle finger on the D string at fret 10 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 11. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 3 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 | G♭ (♭5) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 2 | C (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | G♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Cdim/E♭ inversion · fret 11
C diminished is played at the 11th fret as × × 13 11 13 11: ring finger on the D string at fret 13, index finger on the G string at fret 11, pinky finger on the B string at fret 13 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 11. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 3 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 | G♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 4 | C (1) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 2 | E♭ (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
C diminished uses the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, producing C, E♭, and G♭. The flattened fifth gives the chord its tense, unstable quality. Contrast it with C minor, which has a perfect fifth.
What goes wrong with C diminished?
- Letting the low E string ring out, adding an E that is not part of C diminished.
- Flattening the pinky on the G string, causing the 5th fret note to buzz.
- Strumming the high E string, which introduces an outside note.
When to use it
C diminished functions as the vii° chord in D♭ major, leading to D♭ major. It also works as a passing chord between C minor and D♭ major. Use it in jazz or classical for a tense, dark color.
Changing to and from C diminished
- Slide the 3rd fret shape up one fret to the 4th fret to get C♯ diminished.
- Move to C minor by lifting the pinky from the G string's 5th fret and playing the 5th fret on the B string instead.
Which voicing to use
The 3rd fret shape is the most common and keeps the root C in the bass. The 8th fret shape repeats the voicing higher. The Cdim/E♭ inversions place E♭ in the bass, creating a more ambiguous sound.
Other C chords
Common questions
What is the difference between C diminished and C minor?
C diminished has a flattened fifth (G♭), while C minor has a perfect fifth (G). The diminished fifth creates a more dissonant, tense sound.
Can I play C diminished as a barre chord?
The 3rd fret shape uses no barre, but the 8th fret shape is movable. Slide the 8th fret shape down two frets to get B♭ diminished.
Why are both E strings muted in the 3rd fret shape?
The open E strings are not chord tones of C diminished. Muting them keeps the voicing clean and prevents an unwanted major second clash.
How is C diminished written?
C diminished is written as C° or Cdim. The root is C, and the symbols are C° and Cdim.