Adim guitar chord
How to play Adim on guitar — the notes A, C, E♭, a shape you can tap to hear, the keys it lives in, and a progression to hear it in context. Free.
The shape
Tap the diagram to hear Adim strummed. Adim is an open chord — it uses open strings near the nut, so it rings full and is friendly for beginners.
The notes in Adim
A diminished chord is spelled from its root up: A (R), C (♭3), E♭ (♭5). Those are the only notes in Adim — play them in any order, in any octave, and it's still Adim.
What a diminished chord is
In plain terms, a diminished triad stacks two minor thirds (root, ♭3, ♭5) — a chord made entirely of tension, with no stable fifth to rest on.
How it's used: It's the vii° of a major key, the note-below-home chord that badly wants to resolve up to the tonic. It rarely sits still.
The sound: Suspenseful, unresolved, uneasy — a chord on the edge of its seat. Where you'll hear it: Passing chords, classical cadences, tension in film and metal.
Keys that use Adim
Adim appears naturally in these keys — click any to see all seven of its chords and how Adim fits in:
Other A chords
diminished chords on other roots
Chords and their spellings are shared facts of music theory. Every diagram and sound here is generated by ThunderFret's own engine — no tabs, lyrics or recordings are reproduced.
Open Adim in the interactive tool to see every place it sits on the neck, hear it, and find the shape that fits your hand — free.
See Adim on the fretboardFrequently asked
What notes are in Adim?
Adim is made of 3 notes: A (the R), C (the ♭3), E♭ (the ♭5).
How do you play Adim on guitar?
Adim is an open chord — it uses open strings near the nut, so it rings full and is friendly for beginners.
What key is Adim in?
Adim is a diatonic chord in 2 keys, including the vii° of B♭ major. See all of them below.