Gdim, diminished chord
G, B♭ and D♭
- Root
- G
- Minor third
- B♭
- Diminished fifth
- D♭
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 (3, 6 half steps above G)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | G | B♭ | D♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
G diminished inversions
G diminished has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
Gdim
Root position
| Notes | G | B♭ | D♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Gdim/B♭
First inversion
| Notes | B♭ | D♭ | G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Gdim/D♭
Second inversion
| Notes | D♭ | G | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with G diminished
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. G diminished appears as:
- vii° in A♭ major
- ii° in F minor
How G diminished is built
G is the root, B♭ the minor third and D♭ the diminished fifth.
A diminished chord stacks two minor thirds: the root, a minor third (3 half steps up) and a diminished fifth (6 half steps up). It sounds tense and usually moves on to another chord.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of G diminished are G, B, D. That is why it is spelled G, B♭ and D♭.
Find G diminished yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of G diminished, in any octave and any order.
Practice G diminished in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the G diminished chord?
G diminished (Gdim) has three notes: G, B♭ and D♭. G is the root, B♭ the minor third and D♭ the diminished fifth.
What fingers do you use for G diminished on piano?
In root position, play G, B♭ and D♭ with right hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of G diminished?
G diminished has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Gdim/B♭): B♭, D♭ and G. Second inversion (Gdim/D♭): D♭, G and B♭.
What key is G diminished in?
G diminished appears as vii° in A♭ major and ii° in F minor.