About the Cdim chord
The diminished triad stacks two minor thirds, giving a tense, unstable sound. It is usually a passing chord that leads somewhere else. The symbol for it is Cdim.
C1
E♭♭3
G♭♭5
How to play Cdim
- Put your index finger on the A string at fret 3.
- Put your middle finger on the D string at fret 4.
- Put your ring finger on the B string at fret 4.
- Put your little finger on the G string at fret 5.
- Strum and don't play the low E and high E strings.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Other C chords
Cdim chord questions
What notes are in a Cdim chord?
Cdim is made of C, E♭ and G♭. In intervals that is 1, ♭3, ♭5 above the root, C.
What is the easiest way to play Cdim?
The first shape above is the most common one: x 3 4 5 4 x from the low E string to the high E, where x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. Start there, and try the other shapes once it feels comfortable.
Is Cdim a barre chord?
The main shape above is an open chord with no barre. Some of the other shapes further up the neck do use a barre, which lets you move the same shape to any key.