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E diminished 7th chord on piano

Edim7 is a diminished 7th chord built on E. It uses the notes E - G - B♭ - D♭ and sounds dramatic and suspenseful, the classic silent-movie villain chord.

E diminished 7th chord keyboard diagram: E, G, B♭, D♭EGB♭D♭
Notes
E G B♭ D♭
Formula
1 - ♭3 - ♭5 - 𝄫7
Right hand fingering
1 - 2 - 3 - 5
Left hand fingering
5 - 3 - 2 - 1
Chord symbol
Edim7

How to play Edim7 step by step

  1. Find E. E is the white key just right of each group of two black keys.
  2. Add G, 3 half steps above E.
  3. Add B♭, 6 half steps above E.
  4. Add D♭, 9 half steps above E.
  5. Press all 4 keys together with fingers 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 of your right hand. Keep your wrist level and let the weight of your arm do the work.

Edim7 inversions

An inversion uses the same notes in a different order. Inversions let your hand move less between chords, which is how pianists make chord changes sound smooth.

Edim7 Root position: E, G, B♭, D♭EGB♭D♭
Root positionE - G - B♭ - D♭
Edim7 1st inversion: G, B♭, D♭, EGEB♭D♭
1st inversionG - B♭ - D♭ - E
Edim7 2nd inversion: B♭, D♭, E, GEGB♭D♭
2nd inversionB♭ - D♭ - E - G
Edim7 3rd inversion: D♭, E, G, B♭EGD♭B♭
3rd inversionD♭ - E - G - B♭

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E diminished 7th chord?

The E diminished 7th chord (Edim7) contains 4 notes: E, G, B♭, D♭. Its formula is 1 - ♭3 - ♭5 - 𝄫7.

How do you play Edim7 on piano?

Put your right-hand thumb on E and play E, G, B♭, D♭ together using fingers 1 - 2 - 3 - 5. With the left hand, use fingers 5 - 3 - 2 - 1.

Other E chords

Other diminished 7th chords