Edim Piano Chord

E diminished is the Edim piano chord. It has three notes: E, G and B flat. It is an E minor chord with the fifth lowered by one key onto a black note.

1E3G5B♭C4C5

E at the bottom, then G and B♭. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. The black key is B♭.

How to play Edim 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): B♭
  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.

E minor and E diminished are one key apart. Rocking the little finger between B and B flat is a two second lesson in what the flat fifth does.

Inversions of Edim

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

First inversionG B♭ E
Edim piano chord diagram, first inversion, G B♭ 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 inversionB♭ E G
Edim piano chord diagram, second inversion, B♭ 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
That gives E minor. E diminished needs B flat, the black key one lower.
The chord sounds harsh
A diminished chord is meant to be unsettled. If it is too much on its own, play it as a passing chord between two others.
The little finger is weak
It sits on the black B flat, further into the keyboard than the other two fingers. Let the hand lean rather than stretching.

What makes it an Edim

E · G · B♭ 1 ♭3 ♭5

E diminished is E, G and B flat: the root, the flat third and the flat fifth.

It is the leading tone chord of F, so it pulls upward by a half step. It also works as a passing chord in the key of C, sliding between chords a step apart.

Edim vs Em

The top note. E minor has B; E diminished has B flat, one key lower.

E minor is one of the most restful chords on the piano and E diminished one of the least. They differ by a single black key.

Questions about Edim

Which notes are in a Edim chord on piano?

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

What is the difference between Edim and E minor?

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

How does a diminished chord resolve?

Usually up by one key. Edim leans toward F 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 Edim 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 E chords