Ddim Guitar Chord (D Diminished)

Q: What notes are in the Ddim chord?

Ddim has 3 notes: D, F and A♭ . Its formula is 1 – ♭3 – ♭5: D is the root, F a minor 3rd and A♭ a diminished 5th above it.

Q: How do you play Ddim on guitar?

The shape in the main diagram is xx01x1 (open position). Put your index finger (1) on the 1st fret of the G (3rd) string. Put your middle finger (2) on the 1st fret of the high E (1st) string. Let the D (4th) string ring open (marked O). Don't play the low E (6th), A (5th) or B (2nd) strings (marked X). Strum from the D (4th) string down (3 strings).

The Ddim guitar chord (D diminished) has 3 notes: D, F and A♭. Below you'll find 5 shapes with diagrams, how to play it step by step, the keys it belongs to and common progressions that use it.

xx01x1 · open position

Notes: D – F – A♭
Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5
Type: diminished
Difficulty: easy

Transpose a song

All 5 ways to play Ddim on guitar

xx01x1 open position
xx0131 open position
x53x34 at the 3rd fret
x5676x at the 5th fret
10-8-x-10-9-x at the 8th fret

Diagrams: strings run from the lowest on the left; X = don't play, O = open string, numbers = fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger).

How to play Ddim on guitar

Main shape: xx01x1 (open position).

Put your index finger (1) on the 1st fret of the G (3rd) string.
Put your middle finger (2) on the 1st fret of the high E (1st) string.
Let the D (4th) string ring open (marked O).
Don't play the low E (6th), A (5th) or B (2nd) strings (marked X).
Strum from the D (4th) string down (3 strings).

Ddim notes and intervals

Note	Formula	Interval from the root
D	1	root
F	♭3	minor 3rd
A♭	♭5	diminished 5th

Inversions: the same notes with another one in the bass, written as slash chords: Ddim/F (1st inversion) and Ddim/A♭ (2nd inversion).

Ddim on piano and ukulele

Ddim on piano D – F – A♭
Ddim on ukulele 7545

Which keys use Ddim?

Ddim is one of the basic chords of 2 keys. Its number (Roman numeral) and job change with the key:

Key	Written	Numeral	Function
E♭ major	D°	vii°	dominant
C minor	D°	ii°	predominant
D♯ minor	C𝄪°	vii°	dominant (harmonic minor)

Transpose Ddim

Move the chord up or down by semitones to see its name and notes in another key.

Ddim D F A♭ original

Diminished chords on every root: Adim B♭dim Bdim Cdim C♯dim Ddim E♭dim Edim Fdim F♯dim Gdim A♭dim

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Ddim chord?

Ddim has 3 notes: D, F and A♭. Its formula is 1 – ♭3 – ♭5: D is the root, F a minor 3rd and A♭ a diminished 5th above it.

What is a diminished chord?

A diminished chord has a root, a minor 3rd and a diminished 5th (1–♭3–♭5). It is written dim or °. In a major key, the chord on the 7th note (vii°) is diminished.

What key is Ddim in?

Ddim is vii° in E♭ major and ii° in C minor. It is also vii° in D♯ minor (harmonic minor, with the raised 7th). The other chords of E♭ major are E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭ and Cm.

How do you play Ddim on guitar?

The shape in the main diagram is xx01x1 (open position).

Put your index finger (1) on the 1st fret of the G (3rd) string.
Put your middle finger (2) on the 1st fret of the high E (1st) string.
Let the D (4th) string ring open (marked O).
Don't play the low E (6th), A (5th) or B (2nd) strings (marked X).
Strum from the D (4th) string down (3 strings).

How many ways can you play Ddim on guitar?

This page shows 5 shapes: xx01x1 (open position), xx0131 (open position), x53x34 (at the 3rd fret), x5676x (at the 5th fret) and 10-8-x-10-9-x (at the 8th fret). All of them contain the chord's essential notes.

Is Ddim hard to play on guitar?

No: the easiest shape (xx01x1) has no barre and uses 2 fingers, so it is one of the easier chords to learn. (Difficulty here is a rough guide based on barres, stretches and the number of fingers.)

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Last updated: October 12, 2026