Chord · Diminished Key of G

Gdim Chord on guitar · voicings, notes & diagram

The Gdim chord contains the notes G, A♯, C♯. Tense, unresolved, suspenseful — both the 3rd and 5th lowered.

Voicings

How to play Gdim.

Gdim × × × 1 2 3 E A D G B E

E-shape

Every chord tone on the neck

EADGBE 35791215 Root Scale note

Notes & intervals.

# Degree Note
1 1 G root
2 b3 A♯
3 b5 C♯

Sound & use

Tense, unresolved, suspenseful — both the 3rd and 5th lowered.

Passing chord between two stable chords (e.g. C → C#dim → Dm); the vii° in major-key harmony.

Common in: jazz, classical, film, metal

Also written as: °, dim

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Same key

Other chords in the key of G.

G

Major

Gm

Minor

Gaug

Augmented

Gsus2

Suspended 2nd

Gsus4

Suspended 4th

G7

Dominant 7

Gmaj7

Major 7

Gm7

Minor 7

Gm7b5

Minor 7♭5

Gdim7

Diminished 7

Gm(maj7)

Minor-Major 7

G6

Major 6

Gm6

Minor 6

Gadd9

Add 9

Gm(add9)

Minor Add 9

G9

Dominant 9

Gmaj9

Major 9

Gm9

Minor 9

All keys

Diminished chord in every key.

Cdim

C♯dim

Ddim

D♯dim

Edim

Fdim

F♯dim

G♯dim

Adim

A♯dim

Bdim

FAQ

About the Gdim chord
on guitar.

What notes are in the Gdim chord?

The Gdim chord contains the notes G, A♯, C♯ — that's a 1, b3, b5 from the root.

How do I play Gdim on guitar?

The most common voicings for Gdim are shown above as fretboard diagrams. Start with the e-shape — finger position numbers are inside the dots. Mute any string marked X; play open strings shown with O.

Where is Gdim used in music?

Tense, unresolved, suspenseful — both the 3rd and 5th lowered. Passing chord between two stable chords (e.g. C → C#dim → Dm); the vii° in major-key harmony.

What's a movable shape for Gdim?

Both E-shape (root on the 6th string) and A-shape (root on the 5th string) barre versions are common. Once you can play those two shapes, you can play Diminished in any key just by sliding up or down the neck.

Can I print the Gdim chord diagram?

Yes. Use your browser's print function (Cmd/Ctrl + P) — the SVG diagrams print crisply at any size. For a custom voicing or a printable handout with multiple chords, use the chord chart generator.