E diminished seventh
How to play Edim7 — Diminished seventh
Edim7 (Diminished seventh)E · G · B♭ · D♭
Guitar samples: Acoustic guitar — University of Iowa (via tonejs-instruments, CC-BY 3.0)
E diminished seventh — notes and structure
The Edim7 chord is a symmetrical stack of minor thirds — maximally tense, it can resolve in four directions and is a favourite passing chord.
The Edim7 diminished seventh consists of the notes E, G, B♭, D♭. Its interval structure is R–3–5–7 — the root, then each chord tone stacked above it. This is the same chord you see in the interactive finder above, drawn on the guitar fretboard with the root circled and every chord tone labelled.
Edim7 stacks a minor third (G), a diminished fifth (B♭) and a diminished seventh (D♭) above the root E.
The finder shows 2 ways to play Edim7 — an open-position shape. None of them need a barre.
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the E diminished seventh chord?
- The Edim7 chord contains the notes E, G, B♭, D♭. It is a symmetrical stack of minor thirds — maximally tense, it can resolve in four directions and is a favourite passing chord.
- How many ways can you play Edim7 on guitar?
- 2 voicings are shown on this page — from open position up the neck — each with its own fingering diagram and audio.
- Is Edim7 a hard chord to play?
- It is fairly beginner-friendly — there is an open-position shape and none of the voicings need a barre.