Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Chord
A Diminished Chord (Adim)
Tense, unstable and dark. Two stacked minor thirds create a diminished fifth that wants to resolve inward.
- Adim
- 3 notes
- x0121x
1Composition: what it contains
A – C – E♭
- Symbol
- Adim
- Also written
- Adim, A°, Am♭5, Ami(♭5)
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 ♭5
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | unison | 0 |
| ♭3 | C | minor third | 3 |
| ♭5 | E♭ | diminished fifth | 6 |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
On the guitar
x0121xopen position
xx7545fret 4
x-x-7-8-10-8fret 7
x-12-13-14-13-xfret 12On the ukulele
2353fret 2
8986fret 6
14-12-11-12fret 11On the piano
On the staff
On bass and as an arpeggio
3Indications: what it is used for
The vii° chord of a major key and the ii° chord of a minor key are diminished triads. It works as a leading-tone chord resolving to the tonic (vii°–I), as a passing chord between two diatonic chords (for example between I and ii, or IV and V), and as an incomplete dominant seventh: the vii° triad contains the 3, 5 and 7 of V7. Classical, jazz, gospel and film music use it for tension and chromatic movement in the bass.
4Dosage: how to practise it
On piano, play the triad in all inversions at 60 BPM, then practise vii°6–I resolutions with smooth voice leading (the diminished fifth contracting to a third). On guitar, learn the compact three-string shapes on the top strings and the shape rooted on the fifth string. Practise the passing progression I–♯I°–ii–V slowly, then at 80–100 BPM. Arpeggiate 1-♭3-♭5 on bass. Five minutes a day is enough once the shapes are known.
5Warnings and common mistakes
Do not confuse the triad (dim) with the diminished seventh chord (dim7 or °7) or the half-diminished seventh (m7♭5 or ø7): many charts write 'dim' when they mean the four-note dim7, so check the style. The diminished fifth is not a perfect fifth; on guitar, power-chord habits make players play the wrong fifth. In root position the triad can sound harsh; first inversion is the most common classical voicing.
6Interactions with chords, scales and keys
Inversions
- Inversion 1 · Adim/C · C – E♭ – A
- Inversion 2 · Adim/E♭ · E♭ – A – C
Scales to play over Adim
- A Locrian Mode
- A Blues Scale
- A Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- A Whole-Half Diminished Scale
- A Hungarian Minor Scale
- A Altered Scale
Where it appears (keys and Roman numerals)
7Other presentations available
The same chord from every note
Cdim C♯dim Ddim E♭dim Edim Fdim F♯dim Gdim A♭dim B♭dim Bdim
Other chords on A
A Am Aaug Asus2 Asus4 A5 A6 Am6 A7 Amaj7 Am7 Am7♭5 Adim7 Am(maj7) A7sus4 Aadd9 Am(add9) A6/9 A9 Amaj9 Am9 A11 Am11 A13 A7♭9 A7♯9 A7♯5 A7♭5
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.