Explore chords · Ukulele
E♭ diminished chord on ukulele (E♭dim)
Also called or written E♭dim or E♭°
E♭ diminished contains E♭, G♭, and B♭♭. The open shape mutes the G string and uses two fretted notes and one open string.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5
How do you play an E♭ diminished chord on ukulele?
E♭ diminished is played in open position as × 3 2 0: middle finger on the C string at fret 3 and index finger on the E string at fret 2. The A string rings open. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 2 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 1 | G♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | open | — | B♭♭ (♭5) |
BeginnerThe middle finger must reach the C string at fret 3 while the index finger holds the E string at fret 2, and the G string must be muted.
E♭dim/B♭♭ inversion
E♭ diminished is played at the 9th fret as 11 9 11 9: ring finger on the G string at fret 11, index finger on the C string at fret 9, pinky finger on the E string at fret 11 and middle finger on the A string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 11 | 3 | G♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 9 | 1 | B♭♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 4 | E♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 9 | 2 | G♭ (♭3) |
Open · 2-3-2-0
E♭ diminished is played in open position as 2 3 2 0: index finger on the G string at fret 2, ring finger on the C string at fret 3 and middle finger on the E string at fret 2. The A string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 1 | B♭♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 2 | G♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | open | — | B♭♭ (♭5) |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ diminished is built from the 1, ♭3, ♭5 formula. The ♭5 interval gives the chord its dissonant quality. Compare it to E♭ minor, which raises the fifth to B♭.
What goes wrong with E♭ diminished?
- Letting the open G string ring through, which adds a note outside the chord.
- Flattening the middle finger onto the E string, causing a buzz.
When to use it
E♭ diminished works as a passing chord in C♯ natural minor or E major. It suits tense, mysterious passages in jazz and classical music.
Changing to and from E♭ diminished
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 9th fret gives E diminished.
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 8th fret gives D diminished.
Which voicing to use
The open shape keeps E♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. The E♭dim/F♯ inversion puts G♭ in the bass, which gives a darker color.
Other E♭ chords
Common questions
How is E♭ diminished written?
E♭ diminished is written E♭° or E♭dim. The ASCII root spelling is Eb. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between E♭ diminished and E♭ minor?
E♭ diminished lowers the fifth from B♭ to B♭♭, creating a tritone. E♭ minor keeps the perfect fifth B♭.
Why is the G string muted in the open shape?
The open G string is not a chord tone of E♭ diminished. Muting it keeps the voicing clean.