Chord · D Diminished
Ddim Chord
Ddim is D, F and Ab — tense, unstable; resolves outward.
Ddim on every instrument
The same 3 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What Ddim is made of
Ddim (D diminished) is built from the notes D, F, Ab, with the interval pattern 1, b3, b5.
Stack 1, b3 and b5 on a root of D and you get D, F and Ab. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a diminished chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why Cdim sounds like a transposed Ddim.
Diminished: Tense, unstable; resolves outward.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with A♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain Ddim
All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 2 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Major keys
Minor keys
Other chords on D
Same root, different colour.
The same diminished shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about Ddim
- What notes are in the Ddim chord?
- Ddim is made of D, F and Ab — the 1, b3 and b5 degrees of a diminished chord built on D.
- What keys use the Ddim chord?
- Every note of Ddim belongs to 2 keys: Eb Major (vii°), C Minor (ii°). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play Ddim on guitar and piano?
- This page shows Ddim on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 9 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why Ddim behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.