A flat diminished piano chord (Abdim)
Also written G#dim (G sharp diminished)
A diminished chord stacks two minor thirds: root, minor third, diminished fifth. Tense and unstable, it is mostly used as a passing chord.
On the keyboard
Root position
- Notes
- A♭ – C♭ – E♭♭
- Fingering (right hand)
- 1 – 3 – 5
1st inversion
- Notes
- C♭ – E♭♭ – A♭
- Fingering (right hand)
- 1 – 2 – 5
2nd inversion
- Notes
- E♭♭ – A♭ – C♭
- Fingering (right hand)
- 1 – 3 – 5
Chord notes
| Note | Interval |
|---|---|
| A♭ (A flat) | root |
| C♭ (C flat) | minor third |
| E♭♭ (E double flat) | diminished fifth |
Formula: 1 – b3 – b5 · A♭ – C♭ – E♭♭
A progression with this chord
The diminished chord works as a passing chord to the chord a semitone above.