D Diminished Piano Chord
Root
DMin 3rd
Fb 5th
AbE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
D
F
Ab
The Notes in a D Diminished Chord
The Root
The root is the bottom note of the chord, the starting point to which the other notes relate. The root of a D Diminished chord is D.
The Min 3rd
The minor third of a D Diminished chord is F. The minor third is up three half-steps from the Root.
Finding F from D step by step:
- Start on: D
- Step 1: move up to Eb
- Step 2: move up to E
- Step 3: Land on F
Min 3rd
FRoot
D1
2
- Eb is a minor second above D.
- E is a major 2nd above D.
- F is a minor third above D.
The b 5th
The flat fifth of a D Diminished chord is Ab. The flat fifth is down six half-steps from the Root -- but it's easier to just think of it as a variation on the fifth. Once you know your fifths, the flat fifth and sharp fifth are a lot easier to find.
Finding Ab from D step by step:
- Start on: D
- Step 1: move down to C#
- Step 2: move down to C
- Step 3: move down to B
- Step 4: move down to Bb
- Step 5: move down to A
- Step 6: Land on Ab
b 5th
AbRoot
D1
2
3
4
5
- C# is a minor second below D.
- C is a major 2nd below D.
- B is a minor third below D.
- Bb is a major third below D.
- A is a fourth below D.
- Ab is a flat fifth below D.
The Inversions of D Diminished
Root Position
Root
DMin 3rd
Fb 5th
AbE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
D
F
Ab
1st Inversion
Min 3rd
Fb 5th
AbRoot
DE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
F
Ab
D
2nd Inversion
b 5th
AbRoot
DMin 3rd
FE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
Ab
D
F