Piano chords › C diminished

C diminished chord

Symbol: Cdim · Notes: C – E♭ – G♭

Two minor thirds stacked: an unstable, tense chord, used mostly to pass from one chord to another.

How it is built

• C: root
• E♭: minor third
• G♭: diminished fifth

Fingering: right hand 1 3 5, left hand 5 3 1 (1 = thumb, 5 = pinky).

Its inversions

• Root position: C – E♭ – G♭
• 1st inversion: E♭ – G♭ – C
• 2nd inversion: G♭ – C – E♭

In which keys

• VII in D♭ major
• II in B♭ minor
• VII in C♯ harmonic minor

Other C chords

C · Cm · C7 · Cmaj7 · Cm7 · Csus2 · Csus4 · C+ · C6 · Cm6 · Cadd9 · Cdim7 · Cm7♭5

Learn chords step by step with the free course