Dominant seventh and incomplete dominant seventh in C major: G7 and b o chords Play (help·info).
A diminished triad chord ( Play (help·info)) is a triad consisting of a minor third and a diminished fifth above the root — if built on C, a diminished chord would have a C, an E♭ and a G♭[1]. It resembles a minor triad with a lowered (flattened) fifth.
In the common practice period, the diminished chord is considered dissonant, or unstable. It lacks tonal center or drive because the diminished fifth symmetrically divides the octave.
A diminished chord occurs in a major scale only on the seventh scale degree; in the key of C, this is a B diminished chord (B, D, F). This also occurs in the seventh chord built on the fifth note; in C, this is G dominant seventh (G, B, D, F).
In a twelve-tone equal tempered tuning, a diminished chord has 3 semitones between the third and fifth, 3 between the root and third, and 6 between the root and fifth. It is represented by the integer notation {0, 3, 6}.
In most sheet music books, Cdim or C° denotes a diminished seventh chord (a four note chord) with root C, and Cm-5 or Cmb5 denotes a diminished triad with root C. However, in some modern jazz books and some music theory literature, Cdim or C° denotes a diminished triad, while Cdim7 or C°7 denotes a diminished seventh chord.
The iio6 chord is usually found in first inversion since it is diminished with the bass note doubled since it is not a part of the tritone, while the viio7 chord appears with all four factors most often in root position[2]. In both cases resolve the bass up and move the upper voices downwards in contrary motion[2]. The popular music symbol for a diminished triad is a capital letter designating the root (as with a major chord) with MI(♭5) added[3].
Diminished chord table
Chord |
Root |
Minor Third |
Diminished Fifth |
Cdim |
C |
E♭ |
G♭ |
C♯dim |
C♯ |
E |
G |
D♭dim |
D♭ |
F♭ (E) |
A (G) |
Ddim |
D |
F |
A♭ |
D♯dim |
D♯ |
F♯ |
A |
E♭dim |
E♭ |
G♭ |
B (A) |
Edim |
E |
G |
B♭ |
Fdim |
F |
A♭ |
C♭ (B) |
F♯dim |
F♯ |
A |
C |
G♭dim |
G♭ |
B (A) |
D (C) |
Gdim |
G |
B♭ |
D♭ |
G♯dim |
G♯ |
B |
D |
A♭dim |
A♭ |
C♭ (B) |
E (D) |
Adim |
A |
C |
E♭ |
A♯dim |
A♯ |
C♯ |
E |
B♭dim |
B♭ |
D♭ |
F♭ (E) |
Bdim |
B |
D |
F |
See also
Sources
- ^ Benward & Saker (2003). Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I, p.68. Seventh Edition. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.
- ^ a b Benward & Saker (2009). Music in Theory and Practice: Volume II, p.76. Eighth Edition. ISBN 978-0-07-310188-0.
- ^ Benward & Saker (2003), p.77.
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