Cdim guitar chord
How to play Cdim on guitar — the notes C, E♭, G♭, 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 Cdim strummed. Cdim is played as a barre chord around fret 3: lay a finger across the strings at that fret and build the shape on top. Movable, so the same grip works up and down the neck.
The notes in Cdim
A diminished chord is spelled from its root up: C (R), E♭ (♭3), G♭ (♭5). Those are the only notes in Cdim — play them in any order, in any octave, and it's still Cdim.
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 Cdim
Cdim appears naturally in these keys — click any to see all seven of its chords and how Cdim fits in:
Other C 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 Cdim 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 Cdim on the fretboardFrequently asked
What notes are in Cdim?
Cdim is made of 3 notes: C (the R), E♭ (the ♭3), G♭ (the ♭5).
How do you play Cdim on guitar?
Cdim is played as a barre chord around fret 3: lay a finger across the strings at that fret and build the shape on top. Movable, so the same grip works up and down the neck.
What key is Cdim in?
Cdim is a diatonic chord in 2 keys, including the vii° of D♭ major. See all of them below.