Diminished seventh chord

A diminished seventh chord, also known as a full diminished seventh chord, is composed using a root/1^st, minor 3^rd, diminished 5^th and diminished 7^th (or R/1-♭3-♭5-7) intervals played simultaneously. Generally written as C⁰⁷, C⁰⁷ or Cmi^6(♭5), it is good practice to simply use an uppercase C, a superscripted lowercase ⁰ and the number ⁷ to represent it in writing (ie: C⁰⁷).

A diminished seventh chord occurs naturally in a harmonized harmonic minor scale on the seventh scale degree, and although it does not occur naturally in a harmonized major scale, it does appear in a major scales parallel harmonic minor. The double flat () 7^th is enharmonically equivalent to a major 6^th and is one half-step/semi-tone lower than a minor 7^th interval, hence the name diminished 7^th.

The tonality of a diminished seventh chord is dissonant and distinctly unresolved, it "drives" towards root resolution as opposed to a major seventh chord which is stable and centered.

Diminished seventh chord profile

Intervals	root/1st, minor 3rd, diminished 5th, diminished 7th or R/1-♭3-♭5-7
Stability	Dissonant, unstable, unresolved
Grouping class	Tetrad
Common names (examples in C)	C⁰7, Cdim7, CDIM7, Cmi6(♭5)

Chord shapes/voicings

• Diminished seventh chord shapes
• Help
• Guitar neck notes
• Octave chart

Diminished seventh chord table

Chord name	Root	Minor third	Diminished fifth	Diminished seventh
C⁰7	C	E♭	G♭	B (A)
C♯⁰7	C♯	E	G	B♭
D♭⁰7	D♭	F♭ (E)	A (G)	C (B♭)
D⁰7	D	F	A♭	C♭ (B)
D♯⁰7	D♯	F♯	A	C
E♭⁰7	E♭	G♭	B (A)	D (C)
E⁰7	E	G	B♭	D♭
F⁰7	F	A♭	C♭ (B)	E (D)
F♯⁰7	F♯	A	C	E♭
G♭⁰7	G♭	B (A)	D (C)	F (E♭)
G⁰7	G	B♭	D♭	F♭ (E)
G♯⁰7	G♯	B	D	F
A♭⁰7	A♭	C♭ (B)	E (D)	G (F)
A⁰7	A	C	E♭	G♭
A♯⁰7	A♯	C♯	E	G
B♭⁰7	B♭	D♭	F♭ (E)	A (G)
B⁰7	B	D	F	A♭

Audio sample(s)