This is a simple Cdim chord guide for the guitar.
You’ll learn how to play 4 of the most common C diminished shapes, and 2 basic ideas to apply the chord in your progressions and compositions.
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
What is The Cdim chord on guitar? (C Diminished)
You can think of the Cdim chord as a C minor triad with a flattened 5th interval.
This gives you the root note “C“, the minor 3rd “Eb“, and the diminished 5th “Gb“.
So, if you already know the C minor chord, flatten the 5th to turn it into Cdim, a chord used for building tension.
- Notes in the Cdim chord: C-Eb-Gb
- Diminished chord formula: 1-b3-b5
How to play the Cdim chord on guitar (Easy Shapes)
Now, let’s look at some common and easy ways to play the C diminished triad on the guitar.
Shape 1: 3rd Fret Shape with 4 Fingers
The first shape is a common 4-finger Cdim chord shape.
Shape 2: Cdim 8th Position
The second shape is a common diminished shape, moving backwards and following the chord formula step-by-step, with no octaves. It’s played with your pinky, middle, and index fingers.
Shape 3: Cdim Shape on the G, B, and High E Strings.
The third shape is a standard C diminished chord on the 3 high strings of your guitar.
Shape 4: Common Cdim Inversion
The fourth and final shape uses a C diminished inversion with the C note on the B string, the b5 on the G string, and the b3 on the high E string.
Audio
When To Use The Cdim Guitar Chord
The Cdim chord is the 7th diatonic triad in the C# major scale.
Due to its dissonant sound, it’s best for building tension when playing a chord progression in the key of C# major.
It’s also the 2nd chord in the Bb minor ii-v-i chord progression.
That’s It
Now you know how to play and use the Cdim chord on the guitar!
Here’s a triad guitar lesson to help you develop a better understanding of 3-note chords.