Edim Guitar Chord (E Diminished)

Q: What notes are in the Edim chord?

Edim has 3 notes: E, G and B♭ . Its formula is 1 – ♭3 – ♭5: E is the root, G a minor 3rd and B♭ a diminished 5th above it.

Q: How do you play Edim on guitar?

The shape in the main diagram is xx23x3 (at the 2nd fret). Put your index finger (1) on the 2nd fret of the D (4th) string. Put your middle finger (2) on the 3rd fret of the G (3rd) string. Put your ring finger (3) on the 3rd fret of the high E (1st) string. 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 Edim guitar chord (E diminished) has 3 notes: E, G and B♭. 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.

xx23x3 · at the 2nd fret

Notes: E – G – B♭
Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5
Type: diminished
Difficulty: easy

Transpose a song

All 5 ways to play Edim on guitar

xx23x3 at the 2nd fret
0120xx open position
x75x56 at the 5th fret
x7898x at the 7th fret
12-10-x-12-11-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 Edim on guitar

Main shape: xx23x3 (at the 2nd fret).

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

Edim notes and intervals

Note	Formula	Interval from the root
E	1	root
G	♭3	minor 3rd
B♭	♭5	diminished 5th

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

Edim on piano and ukulele

Edim on piano E – G – B♭
Edim on ukulele 3431

Which keys use Edim?

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

Key	Written	Numeral	Function
F major	E°	vii°	dominant
D minor	E°	ii°	predominant
F minor	E°	vii°	dominant (harmonic minor)

Transpose Edim

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

Edim E G B♭ original

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

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Edim chord?

Edim has 3 notes: E, G and B♭. Its formula is 1 – ♭3 – ♭5: E is the root, G a minor 3rd and B♭ a diminished 5th above it.

What key is Edim in?

Edim is vii° in F major and ii° in D minor. It is also vii° in F minor (harmonic minor, with the raised 7th). The other chords of F major are F, Gm, Am, B♭, C and Dm.

How do you play Edim on guitar?

The shape in the main diagram is xx23x3 (at the 2nd fret).

Put your index finger (1) on the 2nd fret of the D (4th) string.
Put your middle finger (2) on the 3rd fret of the G (3rd) string.
Put your ring finger (3) on the 3rd fret of the high E (1st) string.
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 Edim on guitar?

This page shows 5 shapes: xx23x3 (at the 2nd fret), 0120xx (open position), x75x56 (at the 5th fret), x7898x (at the 7th fret) and 12-10-x-12-11-x (at the 10th fret). All of them contain the chord's essential notes.

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.

Is Edim hard to play on guitar?

No: the easiest shape (0120xx) 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.)

More chords

Last updated: October 12, 2026