Diminished chords How to use them properly

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Diminished chords

A diminished chord is formed of a stack of minor thirds

Diminished chords can add a really interesting sound to your playing but need to be used in moderation. If your piece is in a major key, then the diminished chord that occurs naturally will have its root on the seventh note of that scale. In the key of G major for example, the diminished chord would be F#dim. To form this chord, first locate the root note (F#) and count up three semitones to locate the minor third (A). The fifth note lies another minor third up from this note (C). If, however, your piece is in a minor key, the naturally-occurring diminished chord will be built from the second note of that minor scale; in the key of C minor for example, the diminished triad is D dim (D, F and A ). You will find that the most common way composers incorporate diminished chords into their playing is by using the diminished 7th. This has an identical structure but with a fourth note added on top – this note lies another minor third above the fifth note of the triad. Cdim7 would therefore comprise the notes C, E , G and A. When playing seventh chords usually the fingering 1-2-3-5 works best in the right hand and 5-3-2-1 in the left; this is because it is harder to use your fourth finger independently of the third. Diminished sevenths are often used as resolution chords; the best way to understand this is to hear it: Play Cdim7 and practise resolving to G major – sounds pretty jazzy, right?

“If your piece is in a major key, then the diminished chord that occurs naturally will have its root on the seventh note of that scale” Using diminished chords

Misusing a diminished chord does not sound pretty, so let’s learn where to play them

A diminished (A-C-E)

To play the chord in its root position first locate the minor triad (A-C-E). Now lower your fifth finger on the right hand (or your thumb on the left) by one semitone. When you feel comfortable, practise moving between the inversions.

C diminished (C-E-G)

Repeat the exercise until you feel confident locating the C diminished chord. Now add the seventh (A). C7 in its second inversion moves melodically to G major due to a shared bass and the fall of E /C to D/B.