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D diminished chord on guitar (Ddim)
Also called or written Ddim or D°
D diminished is built from D, F, and A♭. The open shape uses two open strings and mutes the low E and A strings.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5
- Root positionD–F–A♭Ddim×-×-0-1-3-1
- First inversionF–A♭–DDdim/F×-×-3-1-3-1
- Second inversionA♭–D–FDdim/A♭×-×-×-1-3-1
How do you play a D diminished chord on guitar?
D diminished is played in open position as × × 0 1 3 1: index finger on the G string at fret 1, ring finger on the B string at fret 3 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The D string rings open. 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) | open | — | D (1) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (1) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (♭3) |
BeginnerThe open shape is beginner-friendly, but the ring finger stretch to the 3rd fret on the B string requires some flexibility.
5th fret
D diminished is played at the 5th fret as × 5 6 7 6 ×: index finger on the A string at fret 5, middle finger on the D string at fret 6, pinky finger on the G string at fret 7 and ring finger on the B string at fret 6. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 1 | D (1) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 2 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 4 | D (1) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 3 | F (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
10th fret
D diminished is played at the 10th fret as 10 11 12 10 × ×: index finger on the low E string at fret 10, ring finger on the A string at fret 11, pinky finger on the D string at fret 12 and middle finger on the G string at fret 10. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10 | 1 | D (1) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 3 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 4 | D (1) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 2 | F (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Ddim/F inversion · fret 1
D diminished is played at the 1st fret as × × 3 1 3 1: ring finger on the D string at fret 3, index finger on the G string at fret 1, pinky finger on the B string at fret 3 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. 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) | 3 | 3 | F (♭3) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (1) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (♭3) |
Ddim/F inversion · fret 6
D diminished is played at the 6th fret as × 8 6 7 6 ×: pinky finger on the A string at fret 8, index finger on the D string at fret 6, ring finger on the G string at fret 7 and middle finger on the B string at fret 6. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 4 | F (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 3 | D (1) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 2 | F (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
D diminished uses the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, producing D, F, and A♭. The flattened fifth gives the chord its tense, unstable quality. Contrast it with D minor, which has a perfect fifth.
What goes wrong with D diminished?
- Letting the low E string ring out, adding an E that is not part of D diminished.
- Letting the A string ring out, adding an A that is not part of D diminished.
- Flattening the ring finger on the B string, causing the 3rd fret note to buzz.
When to use it
D diminished functions as the vii° chord in E♭ major, leading to E♭ major. It also works as a passing chord between D minor and E♭ major. Use it in blues or jazz for a tense, dark color.
Changing to and from D diminished
- Move to D minor by lifting the ring finger from the B string's 3rd fret and playing the 2nd fret instead.
Which voicing to use
The open shape is the easiest and keeps the root D in the bass. The 5th fret and 10th fret shapes repeat the voicing higher. The Ddim/F inversions place F in the bass, creating a more ambiguous sound.
Other D chords
Common questions
What is the difference between D diminished and D minor?
D diminished has a flattened fifth (A♭), while D minor has a perfect fifth (A). The diminished fifth creates a more dissonant, tense sound.
Can I play D diminished as a barre chord?
The open shape uses no barre, but the 5th fret shape is movable. Slide the 5th fret shape down one fret to get C♯ diminished.
Why are the low E and A strings muted in the open shape?
The open E and A strings are not chord tones of D diminished. Muting them keeps the voicing clean and prevents an unwanted major second clash.
How is D diminished written?
D diminished is written as D° or Ddim. The root is D, and the symbols are D° and Ddim.