A diminished (Adim)
ARoot
Cmin 3
E♭Tritone
Tense and unstable. Used as a passing chord or to create dramatic tension. Common in jazz and classical music.
03
How to play it
Adim
A diminished, Open
- Bass
- A, the root
- Root
- A
- Strings
- A D G B · open
- ARoot
- Cm3
- E♭TT
Up the neck
6 voicings, same three notesWhy it sounds diminished
A+3 fretsC+3 fretsE♭
Stacked from 2 intervals. Compare with Am →
04