Piano chord · Triads
C diminished chord on piano
Right hand: C (1), E♭ (3), G♭ (5)
How to play Cdim 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.
Cdim is the vii° chord in D♭ major. In minor keys: ii° in B♭ minor.
- Notes
- CE♭G♭
- Formula
- 1♭3♭5
- Built from
- root · minor 3rd · diminished 5th
Piano
Root position · numbers are finger numbers
How to play it
Right handC1 · thumbE♭3 · middleG♭5 · pinky
Left handC5 · 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 Cdim on piano
On piano, Cdim has two black keys (E♭ and G♭) and one white key.
