Chords › G diminished

G Diminished Chord on Guitar

3fr2341

Root on string 6

G diminished, written Gdim, is a diminished chord: a minor third and a flat fifth, a tense sound that leads somewhere else. Gdim has no open shape, so it is usually played as a 4-string shape from the 3rd fret.

How to play Gdim, finger by finger

  1. Put your index finger on string 3 at the 3rd fret.
  2. Put your middle finger on string 6 at the 3rd fret.
  3. Put your ring finger on string 5 at the 4th fret.
  4. Put your pinky finger on string 4 at the 5th fret.
  5. Strum strings 6 to 3 only.

More ways to play Gdim

10fr1243
Root on string 5 from fret 10
312
Open near the nut
2fr4213
Movable, fret 2 from fret 2
3fr1234
Open, fret 3 from fret 3
5fr1243
Movable, fret 5 from fret 5
8fr4123
Movable, fret 8 from fret 8
9fr2341
Movable, fret 9 from fret 9
13fr3142
Movable, fret 13 from fret 13

Notes in G diminished

NoteIntervalRole
G1root
B♭♭3minor third
D♭♭5flat fifth

Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5

Questions about Gdim

What notes are in Gdim?

G, B♭ and D♭. Those are the 1, ♭3, ♭5 of the chord, counted from G.

Which strings do I strum for Gdim?

All six strings.

What chord does Gdim lead to?

Most often A♭. The root of Gdim sits a half step below A♭, so it leads up into A♭.

Often played with Gdim

Other diminished chords