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Diminished Seventh Chords

What is a diminished seventh chord?

A diminished seventh chord is a four-note chord, which consists of four notes: the root, the minor third, the diminished fifth, and the diminished seventh.

Diminished Seventh Chord Formula: 1-b3-b5-bb7

The formula 1-b3-b5-bb7 represents the intervallic structure of a diminished seventh chord:

  • 1: The root note of the chord.
  • b3: The minor third, which is three semitones above the root.
  • b5: The diminished fifth, which is six semitones above the root.
  • bb7: The diminished seventh, which is nine semitones above the root.

For example, in a C diminished seventh chord:

  • Root note (1): C
  • Minor third (b3): Eb
  • Diminished fifth (b5): Gb
  • Diminished seventh (bb7): Bbb (A)

The combination of these four notes (C, Eb, Gb, Bbb) creates the sound of a C diminished seventh chord.

Characteristics of Diminished Seventh Chords

Diminished seventh chords have a dissonant and tense quality due to the presence of diminished intervals. They are often used for creating tension and leading to resolutions in music, making them a common choice in jazz and classical compositions.

Playing Diminished Seventh Chords

On a piano or keyboard, diminished seventh chords are typically played by pressing the root note, the minor third, the diminished fifth, and the diminished seventh.

In guitar playing, diminished seventh chords are formed by pressing down specific combinations of strings and frets, following chord diagrams or finger positions.


List of diminished seventh chords for all keys