D#dim7 Guitar Chord (D Sharp Diminished 7th)

The D#dim7 guitar chord (D sharp diminished 7th, also written E♭dim7) has 4 notes: D♯, F♯, A and C. Below you'll find 4 shapes with diagrams, how to play it step by step, easier options, the keys it belongs to and common progressions that use it.

D♯dim7 guitar chord: xx12121324EADGBE
xx1212 · at the 1st fret
Notes
D♯ – F♯ – A – C
Formula
1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – 𝄫7
Type
diminished 7th
Also written
E♭dim7
Difficulty
medium

Transpose a song

All 4 ways to play D#dim7 on guitar

  • D♯dim7 guitar chord: xx12121324
    xx1212 at the 1st fret
  • D♯dim7 guitar chord: x675755fr2314
    x67575 at the 5th fret
  • D♯dim7 guitar chord: xx78787fr1324
    xx7878 at the 7th fret
  • D♯dim7 guitar chord: 11-x-10-11-10-x10fr213
    11-x-10-11-10-x at the 10th 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 D#dim7 on guitar

Main shape: xx1212 (at the 1st fret).

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

D#dim7 notes and intervals

NoteFormulaInterval from the root
D♯ 1 root
F♯ ♭3 minor 3rd
A ♭5 diminished 5th
C 𝄫7 diminished 7th

Inversions: the same notes with another one in the bass, written as slash chords: D♯dim7/F♯ (1st inversion), D♯dim7/A (2nd inversion) and D♯dim7/C (3rd inversion).

Easier ways to play D#dim7

  • Play D♯dim instead: it keeps D♯, F♯ and A and leaves out C.

D#dim7 on piano and ukulele

  • D♯dim7 piano chord: D♯ F♯ A CACD♯F♯
    D♯dim7 on piano D♯ – F♯ – A – C
  • D♯dim7 ukulele chord: 23231324
    D♯dim7 on ukulele 2323

Which keys use D#dim7?

D♯dim7 is one of the basic chords of 1 key. Its number (Roman numeral) and job change with the key:

KeyWrittenNumeralFunction
E minor D♯°7 vii°7 dominant (harmonic minor)

Transpose D#dim7

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

D♯dim7 D♯ F♯ A C original

Diminished 7th chords on every root: B♭dim7Bdim7 Cdim7 C♯dim7 Ddim7 D♯dim7Edim7Fdim7 F♯dim7 Gdim7A♭dim7 Adim7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D#dim7 chord?

D♯dim7 has 4 notes: D♯, F♯, A and C. Its formula is 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – 𝄫7: D♯ is the root, F♯ a minor 3rd, A a diminished 5th and C a diminished 7th above it.

Is D#dim7 the same as Ebdim7?

Yes. D♯ and E♭ are two names for the same note (the same piano key and the same fret), so D♯dim7 and E♭dim7 sound the same and use the same shapes.

What key is D#dim7 in?

D♯dim7 is vii°7 in E minor (harmonic minor, with the raised 7th). The other chords of E minor are Em, F♯°, G, Am, Bm and C.

How do you play D#dim7 on guitar?

The shape in the main diagram is xx1212 (at the 1st fret).

  1. Put your index finger (1) on the 1st fret of the D (4th) string.
  2. Put your ring finger (3) on the 2nd fret of the G (3rd) string.
  3. Put your middle finger (2) on the 1st fret of the B (2nd) string.
  4. Put your little finger (4) on the 2nd fret of the high E (1st) string.
  5. Don't play the low E (6th) or A (5th) strings (marked X).
  6. Strum from the D (4th) string down (4 strings).
Is D#dim7 hard to play on guitar?

It is a medium chord: the easiest shape (xx1212) has no barre and uses 4 fingers. (Difficulty here is a rough guide based on barres, stretches and the number of fingers.)

Is there an easy way to play D#dim7?
  • Play D♯dim instead: it keeps D♯, F♯ and A and leaves out C.

More chords

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