Chords › D♯ diminished
D Sharp Diminished Chord on Guitar
- D♯dim
- D♯ · F♯ · A
- From fret 6
- Also written E♭dim
Root on string 5
D sharp diminished, written D♯dim, is a diminished chord: a minor third and a flat fifth, a tense sound that leads somewhere else. D♯dim has no open shape, so it is usually played as a 4-string shape from the 6th fret.
How to play D♯dim, finger by finger
- Put your index finger on string 5 at the 6th fret.
- Put your middle finger on string 4 at the 7th fret.
- Put your ring finger on string 2 at the 7th fret.
- Put your pinky finger on string 3 at the 8th fret.
- Strum strings 5 to 2 only.
More ways to play D♯dim
Notes in D♯ diminished
| Note | Interval | Role |
|---|---|---|
| D♯ | 1 | root |
| F♯ | ♭3 | minor third |
| A | ♭5 | flat fifth |
Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5
Questions about D♯dim
What notes are in D♯dim?
D♯, F♯ and A. Those are the 1, ♭3, ♭5 of the chord, counted from D♯.
Which strings do I strum for D♯dim?
Start on string 5 and strum down to string 1, and leave the strings marked with an X silent.
Is D♯dim the same as E♭dim?
Yes, on guitar they are played the same way and sound the same. D sharp and E flat are two names for one note: songs in sharp keys write D♯, songs in flat keys write E♭.
What chord does D♯dim lead to?
Most often E. The root of D♯dim sits a half step below E, so it leads up into E.
Related chords
Often played with D♯dim
Other diminished chords