Explore chords · Ukulele
D diminished chord on ukulele (Ddim)
Also called or written Ddim or D°
D diminished contains D, F, and A♭. The 7th-fret shape mutes the E string and requires a stretch to the 8th fret.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5
How do you play a D diminished chord on ukulele?
D diminished is played at the 7th fret as 7 8 × 8: index finger on the G string at fret 7, middle finger on the C string at fret 8 and ring finger on the A string at fret 8. The E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 7 | 1 | D (1) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 2 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 3 | F (♭3) |
IntermediateThe ring finger must reach the A string at fret 8 while the middle finger holds the C string at fret 8, and the E string must be muted.
Ddim/A♭ inversion · 10-8-10-8
D diminished is played at the 8th fret as 10 8 10 8: ring finger on the G string at fret 10, index finger on the C string at fret 8, pinky finger on the E string at fret 10 and middle finger on the A string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 3 | F (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 1 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 10 | 4 | D (1) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 2 | F (♭3) |
1st fret
D diminished is played at the 1st fret as 1 2 1 ×: index finger on the G string at fret 1, ring finger on the C string at fret 2 and middle finger on the E string at fret 1. The A string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 1 | 1 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 2 | 3 | D (1) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 2 | F (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | muted | — | — |
Ddim/A♭ inversion · ×-8-10-8
D diminished is played at the 8th fret as × 8 10 8: index finger on the C string at fret 8, ring finger on the E string at fret 10 and middle finger on the A string at fret 8. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 1 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 10 | 3 | D (1) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 2 | F (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
D diminished is built from the 1, ♭3, ♭5 formula. The ♭5 interval creates a tritone with the root. Compare it to D minor, which has a perfect fifth A.
What goes wrong with D diminished?
- Letting the open E string ring through, which adds a note outside the chord.
- Flattening the ring finger onto the E string, muting it unintentionally.
When to use it
D diminished works as a passing chord in C natural minor or E♭ major. It suits tense, dramatic moments in jazz and classical music.
Changing to and from D diminished
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 5th fret gives C diminished.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 8th fret gives E♭ diminished.
Which voicing to use
The 7th-fret shape keeps D in the bass for a root-position sound. The Ddim/F inversion puts F in the bass, which gives a darker color.
Other D chords
Common questions
How is D diminished written?
D diminished is written D° or Ddim. The root is D.
What is the difference between D diminished and D minor?
D diminished lowers the fifth from A to A♭, creating a tritone. D minor keeps the perfect fifth A.
Why is the E string muted in the 7th-fret shape?
The open E string is not a chord tone of D diminished. Muting it keeps the voicing clean.