Triads
E♭ diminished chord
Tense and unstable — it usually wants to resolve up by a half step.
E♭dim is the vii° chord in E major. In minor keys: ii° in C♯ minor.
- Notes
- E♭G♭B𝄫
- Formula
- 1♭3♭5
- Built from
- root · minor 3rd · diminished 5th
How to play E♭dim
About the E♭ diminished chord
Playing it
On guitar, the usual E♭dim shape is xx1242 at the 1st fret. It has no open strings, so it’s a movable shape — slide it along the neck for other diminished chords. Don’t strum the low E and A strings.
On piano, E♭dim has two black keys (E♭ and G♭) and one white key.
On ukulele the usual E♭dim shape is 2320, using three fingers.
Related chords
Move a single note and E♭dim becomes a different chord: raise B𝄫 to B♭ for E♭m, add D♭ for E♭m7♭5 and add D𝄫 for E♭dim7.
Where you’ll hear it
Notice the B𝄫 in E♭dim (E♭ G♭ B𝄫): each note of the chord takes its own letter (E–G–B), so the diminished 5th has to be written B𝄫 rather than A — the same key on a piano, spelled to fit the chord.
