Piano chord · Triads
A♭ diminished chord on piano
Right hand: A♭ (1), C♭ (3), E𝄫 (5)
How to play A♭dim on piano: the keys to press, which fingers to use, inversions and how it’s written on the staff.
Tense and unstable — it usually wants to resolve up by a half step.
A♭dim is the vii° chord in A major. In minor keys: ii° in F♯ minor.
- Notes
- A♭C♭E𝄫
- Formula
- 1♭3♭5
- Built from
- root · minor 3rd · diminished 5th
Piano
Root position · numbers are finger numbers
How to play it
Right handA♭1 · thumbC♭3 · middleE𝄫5 · pinky
Left handA♭5 · pinkythe root, an octave lower
Finger numbers: 1 thumb · 2 index · 3 middle · 4 ring · 5 pinky. Inversions use the same notes with a different one on the bottom — they help you move smoothly between chords. Tap any key to hear it.
Tips for playing A♭dim on piano
On piano, A♭dim has one black key (A♭) and two white keys.
Notice the C♭ in A♭dim (A♭ C♭ E𝄫): each note of the chord takes its own letter (A–C–E), so the minor 3rd has to be written C♭ rather than B — the same key on a piano, spelled to fit the chord.
