D diminished chord on piano
Ddim · D° — a tense chord of two minor thirds that wants to move on.
| Notes | D – F – A♭ |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 |
| Symbols | Ddim, D° |
| Fingering (root position) | Right hand 1 3 5 · Left hand 5 3 1 |
How to play D diminished on the piano
Start on D. Add the third (F) and the fifth (A♭). 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 D diminished. Inversions let you move between chords with small steps.
Root position
D – F – A♭ · RH 1 3 5 · LH 5 3 1
1st inversion
F – A♭ – D · RH 1 2 5 · LH 5 3 1
2nd inversion
A♭ – D – F · RH 1 3 5 · LH 5 2 1
Which keys use D diminished
In these keys the chord is built from the notes of the scale itself:
Other D chords
D majorD minorD augmentedD sus2D sus4D6D7D major seventhD minor seventhD diminished seventhD half-diminished
Practise chords with the Klavola app
Get the app
Lessons, ear training, chord pads and hundreds of songs that listen to you play.