C diminished chord on piano

Cdim · C° — a tense chord of two minor thirds that wants to move on.

Notes	C – E♭ – G♭
Formula	1 – ♭3 – ♭5
Symbols	Cdim, C°
Fingering (root position)	Right hand 1 3 5 · Left hand 5 3 1

How to play C diminished on the piano

Start on C (middle C is a good place). Add the third (E♭) and the fifth (G♭). With the right hand use fingers 1 3 5; with the left hand 5 3 1. Press the keys together for the chord, or one after another for an arpeggio.

Inversions

The same notes in a different order: the lowest note changes, the chord stays C diminished. Inversions let you move between chords with small steps.

Root position

C – E♭ – G♭ · RH 1 3 5 · LH 5 3 1

1st inversion

E♭ – G♭ – C · RH 1 2 5 · LH 5 3 1

2nd inversion

G♭ – C – E♭ · RH 1 3 5 · LH 5 2 1

Which keys use C diminished

In these keys the chord is built from the notes of the scale itself:

vii° in D♭ major
ii° in B♭ minor

Other C chords

C major C minor C augmented C sus2 C sus4 C6 C7 C major seventh C minor seventh C diminished seventh C half-diminished

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