D diminished 7th · Guitar
Ddim7 Chord on Guitar
The Ddim7 chord (D diminished 7th) is built from the notes D, F, G# and B. The guitar fingering for it is shown below.
Chord diagrams
Fingering
- string 6 (E): muted
- string 5 (A): muted
- string 4 (D): played open
- string 3 (G): fret 1 — index finger
- string 2 (B): played open
- string 1 (E): fret 1 — middle finger
Notes in this chord
- D
- F
- G♯
- B
Degrees: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭♭7
How to play
Ddim7 can be played with open strings on guitar, which makes it an accessible shape for beginners. Strings marked ○ ring open, while strings marked ✕ are muted.
Theory behind the chord
Diminished seventh chords divide the octave into four equal minor thirds. Every inversion sounds the same, so a single shape can be slid up the neck to lead into several different keys. On Ddim7 this structure sits on the root D, so the degrees 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭♭7 map onto D, F, G# and B.
Frequently asked questions
- Which notes are in the Ddim7 chord?
- Ddim7 contains the notes D, F, G# and B. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭♭7.
- How many ways can you play Ddim7?
- Minory lists a single guitar fingering for Ddim7.
- Is the Ddim7 chord hard to play?
- Not really. The open position of Ddim7 uses open strings and needs no barre, which makes it approachable for beginners.
Practise Ddim7 on your phone
Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.
