Ebdim Piano Chord

E flat diminished is the Ebdim piano chord. It has three notes: E flat, G flat and A. It is an E flat minor chord with the fifth lowered by one key.

Ebdim piano chord diagram, root position, E♭ G♭ A

E♭ at the bottom, then G♭ and A. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. The black keys are E♭ and G♭.

How to play Ebdim on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the E♭ above middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): E♭
  3. Middle finger (3): G♭
  4. Little finger (5): A
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just E♭ on its own as a bass note.

The top note is written A rather than B double flat, because A is the key you play and the name every chart prints.

Inversions of Ebdim

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Ebdim; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionG♭ A E♭
Ebdim piano chord diagram, first inversion, G♭ A E♭
Lighter than root position and less final. A flat third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionA E♭ G♭
Ebdim piano chord diagram, second inversion, A E♭ G♭
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.

If it sounds wrong

The top note is B flat
That gives E flat minor. E flat diminished needs A, one key lower.
The thumb keeps sliding
It is on a black key. Move the whole hand into the keyboard so the thumb sits comfortably rather than reaching back.
The chord sounds unstable
It should. Resolve it upward to E major, or back into E flat minor.

What makes it an Ebdim

E♭ · G♭ · A 1 ♭3 ♭5

E flat diminished is E flat, G flat and A: the root, the flat third and the flat fifth. Written strictly the top note is B double flat, which is the key called A.

It is the leading tone chord of E, and a passing chord in flat keys. Two minor thirds stacked, like every diminished triad.

Ebdim vs Ebm

The top note. E flat minor has B flat; E flat diminished lowers it to A.

E flat minor is an all black chord; lowering the fifth brings one finger forward onto a white key, so the two feel quite different under the hand.

Ebdim in major keys

Every note of Ebdim sits inside these keys. See how it works alongside the other chords in each one.

Questions about Ebdim

Which notes are in a Ebdim chord on piano?

E flat, G flat and A. It is a minor chord with the fifth lowered by one key.

What is the difference between Ebdim and E flat minor?

The top note. E flat minor has a normal fifth; Ebdim lowers it by one key to A. That single change turns a sad chord into a tense one.

How does a diminished chord resolve?

Usually up by one key. Ebdim leans toward E major, and playing the two in a row is the quickest way to hear why: every note of the diminished chord is a half step or a whole step from where it wants to go.

Is Ebdim hard to play?

No. It is three notes with an even shape, since a diminished triad is two minor thirds stacked. The intervals are the same size, which makes the hand position symmetrical and easy to remember.

Chords to learn next

Other Eb chords