Diminished Chords
Let’s look at how to play a Cdim (C diminished) chord on the piano. We’ll also learn the pattern for building any diminished chord.
What Are Diminished Chords?
Diminished chords are minor chords with the upper-note lowered 1/2 step.
So to build a diminished chord, we’ll start by building a minor chord. Minor chords are major chords with the middle note lowered 1/2 step.
Then to convert the minor chord into a diminished chord, we’ll lower the upper-note 1/2 step.
This post covers diminished chords in more detail.
How to Play a Cdim Chord
Now let’s build a Cdim chord on the piano. We’ll start by building a C minor chord by taking a C major chord and lowering the middle note 1/2 step: C – E♭ – G
Then we’ll lower the upper-note G 1/2 step, to G♭.
So to play a Cdim chord, we’ll play:
C – E♭ – G♭

You can use this pattern to build any diminished chord on the piano. Start with a minor chord, then lower the upper-note 1/2 step.
Another way to label diminished chords is with the º symbol, so we could also write Cdim as Cº.
Other Chord Types
Some of the other chord types you can learn are:
Major
Minor
Augmented
Second
Minor Second
Suspended
Fifth
Sixth
Minor Sixth
Seventh
Minor Seventh
Major Seventh
Ninth
Minor Ninth
Major ninth
Conclusion
Now you know how to build a Cdim chord on the piano, and you can use that pattern to build any diminished chord.
Using patterns to build chords, and using chords to play the piano is a wonderful way to enjoy music.
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