Understand and Play the D dim7 Guitar Chord
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Ddim7 is the symbol for the D diminished seventh chord, which contains D, F, Ab and Cb (root, minor third, flat five and diminished seventh). All 6 voicings are fretted and none rings an open string; one is a barre shape.
It contains two tritones: one between the root and the flat five, and one between the minor third and the diminished seventh. A scale that covers every chord tone is the D whole-half scale, which is where to start when you improvise.
Ddim7 is the vii chord of Eb harmonic minor, built on the leading tone of that key. The mic check in the player at the top listens while you play, so you can see whether every string of the shape sounds.
D diminished 7th guitar chord is also written as Ddim7, D°7 or Do7. It is also known as the D fully diminished seventh chord.
Notes that compose the D dim7 chord:
How to create the Diminished Seventh chord:
Formula: 1 b3 b5 bb7
D Dim7 Guitar Chord Diagrams
Position 1 Movable
Finger Positions
- Mute the B string
- Mute the high E string
- Place your index finger (1) on the fret 3 of the D string
- Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 4 of the low E string
- Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 4 of the G string
- Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the A string
Position 2 Movable
Finger Positions
- Mute the low E string
- Mute the high E string
- Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the G string
- Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 8 of the A string
- Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the D string
- Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 9 of the B string
Position 3 Movable
Finger Positions
- Mute the low E string
- Mute the A string
- Place your index finger (1) on the fret 9 of the D string
- Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 9 of the B string
- Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 10 of the G string
- Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 10 of the high E string
Position 4 Movable
Finger Positions
- Mute the low E string
- Mute the A string
- Place your index finger (1) on the fret 6 of the D string
- Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 6 of the B string
- Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 7 of the G string
- Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 7 of the high E string
Position 5 Barre Movable
Finger Positions
- Mute the A string
- Mute the high E string
- Place your index finger (1) on the fret 9 of the D and B strings at the same time
- Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 10 of the low E string
- Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 10 of the G string
Position 6 Movable
Finger Positions
- Mute the low E string
- Mute the high E string
- Place your index finger (1) on the fret 4 of the G string
- Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 5 of the A string
- Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 6 of the D string
- Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 6 of the B string
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Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What notes does the Ddim7 chord contain?
Ddim7 has D, F, Ab and Cb. These are the root, minor third, flat fifth and diminished seventh. Cb sounds like B, nine semitones from D.
Why is the seventh of Ddim7 written Cb?
The seventh of D falls on the letter C. A minor seventh would be C natural, and a diminished seventh is one semitone lower, Cb. It sounds like B.
Is Ddim7 related to Fdim7 and Abdim7?
Yes. Ddim7 has the same four pitches as Fdim7, Abdim7 and Bdim7. All are stacks of minor thirds, so each note can be named as the root.
What scale should I try over D diminished seventh?
The D whole-half scale, D, E, F, G, Ab, Bb, B, C#, includes all four chord tones. It gives you notes that agree with the chord.
Where does Ddim7 appear as a vii chord?
Ddim7 is the vii chord of Eb harmonic minor, built on the raised seventh degree. The chord leans toward Eb minor.
How many Ddim7 voicings are there?
There are 6 voicings, 1 with a barre and none with an open string. The lowest is at fret 3 and the highest at fret 10.
