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Chord shapes

Cdim guitar chord

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Chord diagram

Shape 1 of 2

A-string diminished · Frets 3-5

Cdim

23456
B
G
D
A
Related chords

Shape difficulty

Intermediate

Main challenge: Avoiding unwanted strings so the intended voicing speaks cleanly when you strum through it.

Chord tones

Root notes stay highlighted so the voicing reads faster at a glance.

C1F♯b5D♯b3
RootChord tone

Notes

Notes in C Diminished

C Diminished uses C as the root, E♭ as the minor third, and G♭ as the diminished fifth.

C

root

1

anchors the chord and gives the voicing its name.

E♭

minor third

b3

darkens the chord immediately by lowering the third.

G♭

diminished fifth

b5

compresses the shape and gives it a more unstable center.

Sound and feel

What C Diminished sounds like

C Diminished has a tight, tense, unstable sound.

Compared with a plain minor chord, the lowered fifth makes the voicing feel much less settled and more directional.

Playing tips

How to play C Diminished on guitar

Root anchor

Find the root on the A string at fret 3 before you place the other fingers.

Setup

Place the lowest note first, then stack the rest of the movable shape across frets 3 to 5.

Strum path

Start the strum from the A string so the low E and high E strings stay out.

Check

Pick through the strings once before you strum hard, and fix the first dull note you hear.

Position

Check the fret number before each full strum so the whole shape does not drift a fret high or low.

Theory

Why C Diminished works

Formula1 - b3 - b5

C Diminished uses the formula 1 - b3 - b5.

Compared with C Minor, C Diminished replaces G (5) with G♭ (b5).

The lowered fifth compresses the triad and combines with the minor third to create a strong leading quality.

Musical context

Where C Diminished commonly appears

C Diminished makes the most sense once you hear the chord it resolves into next.

leading toneD♭ resolution

C Diminished often appears as a leading-tone chord that resolves up by a half step into a more stable major or minor chord.

vii°D♭ major

C Diminished can work as the vii° chord in the major key a half step above, where its instability points directly into the tonic.

passing-chord use

C Diminished is more common as a passing or connecting chord than as a first-position strumming staple.

Quick answers

FAQ about C Diminished

Explore next

Related chords and next sounds

Compare simpler versions, related harmony, and matching scales.

Simpler and richer same-root versions

C Minor

Strip this color back to the simpler same-root version.

C Minor 7

Compare it with another same-root color that changes the feel without changing the note name.

Closely related chords

D♭ Major

A common half-step resolution target above this diminished chord.

D♭ Minor

Minor resolution target above the same leading tone.

C Minor

Plain minor version on the same root for comparison.

Related scales and parent keys

D♭ Major

Major key where this chord can behave like a leading-tone chord.

B♭ Natural Minor

Minor key where this chord can appear as ii° color.

Keep exploring

C chords

Compare major, minor, seventh, suspended, power, and added-tone sounds on this root.

All chords

Browse more roots when you want a wider set of chord sounds.

Related scales

Hear which scales sit naturally around this chord sound.

Reference

Quick reference

Keep the notes, formula, and difficulty label in view while you practice.

Notes
C, E♭, and G♭
Formula
1 - b3 - b5
Main shape
movable shape
Root string
A string
Featured difficulty
Intermediate

Same root

C chords

Compare this root across major, minor, suspended, seventh, power, and added-tone colors.