E♭dim chord on guitar
E♭dim (E flat diminished) is a diminished chord built on E♭. It has 3 notes, E♭, G♭ and B𝄫, and its formula is 1 ♭3 ♭5.
Notes and intervals of E♭dim
From the root upwards, E♭dim contains root (E♭), minor 3rd (G♭) and diminished 5th (B𝄫). Those intervals give the chord its colour: the formula 1 ♭3 ♭5 works the same way in every key, so once you know it for E♭ you can build the chord on any note.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | E♭ |
| ♭3 | minor 3rd | G♭ |
| ♭5 | diminished 5th | B𝄫 |
How to play E♭dim on guitar
The first shape above reads x x 1 2 x 2 from the low E string to the high E string (x means you do not play that string, 0 is an open string). The lowest note you play is E♭. The other diagrams show the same chord higher up the neck: pick the one closest to the chords before and after it in your song.
This is a barre or movable shape: keep your index finger straight and close to the fret, and press with the side of the finger rather than the flat pad.
Which keys use E♭dim?
You find E♭dim as a diatonic chord in E major (vii°). The most common case is E major, where it plays the role of vii°.
Scales to play over E♭dim
To improvise over E♭dim, start with E flat blues scale. All of these scales contain every note of the chord: E flat blues scale and E flat Locrian mode. Aim for the chord notes on strong beats and use the other notes to move between them.
About diminished chords
Two stacked minor thirds: 1 ♭3 ♭5. The diminished fifth (a tritone) makes the diminished chord the most unstable triad: tense, dark and restless. It rarely stands alone and pulls towards the chord a semitone above its root. For example Bdim: B D F. Add a diminished seventh and you get the symmetrical diminished seventh chord.
In a major key it sits on vii° (for example Bdim in C major), acting as a lighter V7 that resolves to I. In a minor key it sits on ii°. Passing diminished chords connect neighbouring chords chromatically, for example I ♯i° ii (C C♯dim Dm). Classical music, jazz, ragtime and film scores use it to build suspense.
The triad is usually played as a small three or four-string shape on the middle or top strings, since full barres are awkward. Many guitarists play dim7 instead: a movable four-string shape that repeats every 3 frets, because the chord divides the octave into equal minor thirds. Slide it up three frets to hear a new inversion.
dim (three notes) and dim7 (four notes, with a diminished seventh) are not the same, though 'dim' on a jazz chart often means dim7. And dim is not m7♭5: the half-diminished chord adds a minor seventh (for example Bm7♭5: B D F A) and sounds much softer. Symbols: ° means diminished, ø means half-diminished.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the E♭dim chord?
E♭dim (E flat diminished) contains E♭, G♭ and B𝄫. In intervals: root (E♭), minor 3rd (G♭) and diminished 5th (B𝄫).
How do you play E♭dim on guitar?
The easiest shape is x x 1 2 x 2, from the low E string to the high E string. This page shows 3 positions with finger numbers.
What scale goes with E♭dim?
E flat blues scale fits E♭dim best. Other scales that contain all its notes: E flat Locrian mode.
What key is E♭dim in?
E♭dim belongs to E major (vii°). In E major it is the vii° chord.
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