E Diminished Piano Chord
Root
EMin 3rd
Gb 5th
BbE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
E
G
Bb
The Notes in an E 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 an E Diminished chord is E.
The Min 3rd
The minor third of an E Diminished chord is G. The minor third is up three half-steps from the Root.
Finding G from E step by step:
- Start on: E
- Step 1: move up to F
- Step 2: move up to F#
- Step 3: Land on G
Min 3rd
GRoot
E1
2
- F is a minor second above E.
- F# is a major 2nd above E.
- G is a minor third above E.
The b 5th
The flat fifth of an E Diminished chord is Bb. 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 Bb from E step by step:
- Start on: E
- Step 1: move down to D#
- Step 2: move down to D
- Step 3: move down to C#
- Step 4: move down to C
- Step 5: move down to B
- Step 6: Land on Bb
b 5th
BbRoot
E1
2
3
4
5
- D# is a minor second below E.
- D is a major 2nd below E.
- C# is a minor third below E.
- C is a major third below E.
- B is a fourth below E.
- Bb is a flat fifth below E.
The Inversions of E Diminished
Root Position
Root
EMin 3rd
Gb 5th
BbE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
E
G
Bb
1st Inversion
Min 3rd
Gb 5th
BbRoot
EE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
G
Bb
E
2nd Inversion
b 5th
BbRoot
EMin 3rd
GE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
Bb
E
G