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C Diminished Piano Chord

The C Diminished chord contains C, E♭, G♭. Formula: 1–♭3–♭5.

C Diminished keyboard and inversions

C Diminished
Cdim
Chord tones
CE♭G♭
Formula
1♭3♭5
Notes
C · E♭ · G♭
Quality
Diminished triad
Formula
1 · ♭3 · ♭5
Keyboard range
C3–C6
Position
Notes from low to high
C4E♭4G♭4
Cdim
Bass: C4
Download Cdim PDF
Simple reference tone; not a recording of an acoustic piano.

The c diminished triad uses a root, minor third and diminished fifth.

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C Diminished formula

Cdim uses 1–♭3–♭5: C–E♭–G♭.

The c diminished triad uses a root, minor third and diminished fifth.

Compare C Diminished

Compared with C minor, lower the fifth by one semitone.

C Diminished inversions

The chord tones stay the same while the lowest chord tone changes.

C Diminished: root position, first inversion, and second inversion
PositionSymbolNotes, low to highBass
Root position, current selectionCdimC4–E♭4–G♭4C4
First inversionCdim/E♭E♭4–G♭4–C5E♭4
Second inversionCdim/G♭G♭4–C5–E♭5G♭4
Reference scope

Fingering is not provided for this reference

No independent fingering dataset is authorized for N2B.

Use the written notes, keyboard positions and playback without treating the diagram as a required hand shape.

Read left- and right-hand finger numbers
Sources and scope

Triads — Open Music Theory

Open Music Theory

Supports: diminished = minor third + diminished fifth; augmented = major third + augmented fifth; triad spelling principles

Scope limit: Theory and spelling cross-check only; no source prose, artwork, fingering or PDF is copied.

Checked 2026-09-12 · N2B-OMT-TRIADS

The Piano Chord Collection — Diminished & Augmented

PianoChord.org

Supports: competitor family coverage; cross-check examples only

Scope limit: Theory and spelling cross-check only; no source prose, artwork, fingering or PDF is copied.

Checked 2026-09-12 · N2B-PC-COLLECTION

Questions about Cdim

What notes are in Cdim?

C, E♭, G♭.

What is the formula for Cdim?

1–♭3–♭5.

Does an inversion change the chord root?

No. The root stays the same; the lowest chord tone changes.

Interactive practice

Build Cdim on the keyboard

Select the three pitch classes that make Cdim, then check your answer.

This one-octave exercise checks pitch classes. Order and octave do not affect the result; fingering and live performance are not assessed.

3Choose three pitch classes

One octave, C through B. Select a key again to remove it.

One-octave keyboard from C through B
Selected: none
Choose notes, then check your answer.

Print this chord reference

Download Cdim PDF